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Zoo animals explore advent calendars
The meerkats foraged for tasty crickets in their advent calendar.

Meerkats, lions and squirrel monkeys kick off Christmas.

Animals at ZSL London Zoo are celebrating the countdown to Christmas with some special advent calendars.

Keepers gave the lions, meerkats and squirrel monkeys a unique festive treat on Thursday (30 November) in anticipation of the Christmas celebrations to come. 

Arya and Bhanu, the Asiatic lions, followed a scent trail of cinnamon and nutmeg to a giant five-foot lion-sized advent calendar filled with meat for them to discover.

The Bolivian black-capped squirrel monkey troop living at the zoo were given an exciting challenge, as zookeepers hung up advent pouches filled with breakfast for the animals.

Meerkats Meko, Penelope, Dracula and Frank didn't miss out on the fun, with a colourful advent calender full of cricket snacks provided for the curious creatures.

Dan Simmonds, zoological operations manager at ZSL, said: “It’s the season of giving and our keepers enjoyed sharing the Christmas spirit with the animals at London Zoo.

“Marking the first day of advent, our lions loved sniffing out meaty treats in their five-foot advent calendar, while the meerkats and squirrel monkeys foraged for their breakfast behind colourful doors and in hanging numbered bags.

“There may not be a chocolate in sight, but like children across the country, the animals couldn’t resist opening just one door!”  

 

Images (C) ZSL London Zoo

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Voting opens for BEVA Council

News Story 1
 Eligible members of BEVA will be able to vote for their Council team until Monday, 17 August 2026. Members will have received an election email on 17 July.

There are five candidates standing for four available places on Council. They are:

  • Alexandre Triguino
  • Angela Jones
  • Beth Bryant
  • Holly Rees
  • Hugh Somerville
Full profiles for each candidate can be found on the BEVA website. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Government releases latest bluetongue statistics

APHA has confirmed the number of bluetongue cases that have been logged in the UK since 1 July 2026.

The total number of BTV-3 cases, as of 6 August, is 187. This includes 183 cases in England and four cases in Wales.

There have been no recorded cases in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The location of premises in Great Britain where at least one animal has tested positive by PCR for BTV-3, BTV-8 or BTV-12 is available on the bluetongue case map. All livestock keepers in Great Britain are urged to familiarise themselves with nation-specific bluetongue control policies.

Bluetongue virus is a notifiable disease. It is a legal requirement that any suspicions, even if livestock has been vaccinated, are reported immediately.