KEEPERS at the Welsh Mountain Zoo have dusted off the clipboards to carry out a mammoth annual stock take.

The task involved counting each and every animal at the Colwyn Bay site as part of a nationwide task.

The total number of number of animals counted was 1,472. This included fish and invertebrates.

Peter Litherland, of the Welsh Mountain Zoo, said: “This is a huge task but a necessary one that we all gear up to in January. We have 100 species at the zoo, in over 60 enclosures. Recording all of the animals, some of whom can be a little quiet and prefer to hide away, can be somewhat of a challenge."

All zoos carry out the challenge during January as part of compliance with zoo legislation which requires zoos and aquariums to keep precise records of every animal birth, death, arrival and departure.

The data is submitted to the local authority who issue and renew the licenses for zoos and aquariums.