Animals at United Kingdom Zoos Celebrate Christmas

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: December 25, 2021 12:01 am

As Christmas celebrations continue across the globe we bring you some of our favorite Christmas celebrations for animals at zoos across the United Kingdom.

Baby Animals Celebrate Their Christmas at Edinburgh Zoo

A pygmy hippo calf at Edinburgh Zoo holds a Christmas cracker treat

Photo Credit: RZSS

At Edinburgh Zoo a range of baby animals have enjoyed their first Christmas with presents provided by their keepers.

Amara an 8 month old pygmy hippo calf was gifted a Christmas cracker crafted by attendees of the zoo’s Breakfast with the Clauses events. Each cracker was filled with some of the hippos favorite treats including hay and monkey nuts.

Elsewhere in the zoo the capuchin family at the zoo’s Living Links centre were eager to break in to their wrapped presents filled with nuts and fruit.

The capuchin family at Edinburgh Zoo enjoyed presents prepared by their keepers

Photo Credit: RZSS

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Tiger Trio Tear in to Presents at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

The tigers at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo with their presents

Photo Credit: ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

Christmas came early for three Amur tiger brothers at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. Each of the colorful Christmas presents was sprayed with scents. The trio investigated the boxes before swiftly destroying them.

Team leader Sarah Mcgregor said: “We knew that, like so many three-year-olds, the brothers would find the packaging so much more fun to play with than any present, so we decided to avoid unnecessary waste and just wrap up empty boxes. We were proved right! They absolutely loved ripping open their gift boxes and playing with the mess!

“Spraying the boxes with different scents, such as perfumes or catnip, made the gift boxes even more exciting for them and helped engage their natural instincts to sniff-out and investigate new things.”

ZSL London Zoo Animals Open Their Christmas Presents

An Asian lion at ZSL London Zoo with a Christmas present

Photo Credit: ZSL London Zoo

At ZSL London Zoo the lions and gorillas both received presents.

Over in the Land of the Lions habitat the Asiatic lion pride made up of Bhanu and Arya explored brightly wrapped boxes covered by scents.

At Gorilla Kingdom the western lowland gorilla family found their favorite vegetable treats under the tree.

ZSL London Zoo’s head zookeeper Dan Simmonds said: “Gorillas Alika, Gernot, Mjukuu and Effie are always keen to clean their plates of all the festive veg at Christmas – they loved digging into their presents to find juicy carrots and tasty Brussels sprouts.

“And while lioness Arya carefully picked up her gifts and carried them off to play with later, Bhanu opened his all at once, rolling around in the boxes to release his favourite seasonal scents – nutmeg and cinnamon.”

Learn more about Edinburgh Zoo on their website – Edinburgh Zoo

Learn more about ZSL on their website – ZSL