London Zoo releases animal X-rays to showcase care and conservation work

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The archive images include X-rays of a critically endangered big-headed turtle, Humboldt penguin chicks and a Western diamondback rattlesnake, and were all taken during the zoo’s work to care for more than 14,000 animals and 400 species. The zoo’s veterinary team said the scans were vital in helping diagnose any problems and ensure the animals remained “in tip-top condition”. “This means we have far less medical information about them in existence than we do for domestic animals, so we share vital information from X-rays such as these with vets and conservationists around the world, helping to improve animal and veterinary care globally.” The images have been shared ahead of the conservation zoo’s Vets In Action event between February 11 and 19, which will see children join the vet team during the spring half-term to learn more about their work. “A trip to the vet is a little more complicated for a lion than it is for a house cat, so we work with zookeepers to make any treatment needed as simple as possible for the animals – for example, keepers build training for healthcare into the animals’ daily routines,” Ms Sparrow said.