London Zoo's animal count begins as ZSL turns 200

"As the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) enters its 200th year as a charity, keepers at London Zoo have started counting every animal for its annual stocktake. The zoo is home to more than 8,000 animals — from a colony of leafcutter ants to critically endangered Asiatic lions. ZSL, which runs London Zoo, was founded in 1826 as science-led conservation charity working to protect species, restore ecosystems and help wildlife and people coexist."

"Each creature at the zoo is logged as part of the yearly census, which is a licensing requirement and helps inform global conservation breeding programmes. Recent arrivals have boosted numbers in key species. In July 2025, the Humboldt penguin colony grew when 16 chicks hatched in a single season — a major conservation win for the vulnerable species, native to Chile and Peru, whose numbers are falling in the wild."

ZSL runs London Zoo and logs every animal during an annual stocktake required for licensing and to inform global conservation breeding programmes. The collection exceeds 8,000 animals, ranging from a colony of leafcutter ants to critically endangered Asiatic lions. Recent successful hatchings boosted key species populations: 16 Humboldt penguin chicks hatched in July 2025 and eight Socorro dove chicks hatched in April, with the latter species extinct in the wild and fewer than 180 individuals remaining globally. The population of critically endangered Darwin's frogs increased by eight despite threats from a deadly chytrid fungus. Conservation work focuses on establishing safe, long-term sustainable populations.

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