8 April 2025
Easter has arrived at London Zoo and zookeepers marked the occasion with an assortment of seasonal surprises for the conservation zoo’s lions, lemurs and meerkats.
The Zoo's Endangered Asiatic lion cubs Mali, Syanii, and Shanti — who turned one-year-old last month — were treated to a zoo-normous Easter egg in their paddock. Scented with perfumes, spices and standing at 65 centimetres tall, the papier-mâché egg provided a sensory feast for the young lions to explore, after an early morning breakfast in their private dens. The egg gave the playful lion siblings something novel to pounce on and roll around, adding an element of play to their Easter treat.
Next up, the Zoo’s eight Endangered Ring-tailed lemurs got into the Easter spirit as they investigated a carefully handcrafted nest, woven together using dried grapevines, twine, and rope. Nestled inside, a collection of vibrant and pastel-coloured cardboard Easter eggs awaited — each one hiding a delicious surprise. While there weren’t any chocolate eggs on the menu, the lemurs were treated to something even better in their eyes: a cube of sweet potato, one of their all-time favourite snacks.
Over in the Zoo’s meerkat habitat, Frank, Penelope, and Dracula got their paws on a large papier-mâché egg, filled with a handful of their favourite morsel all-year-round: mealworms. Keepers cut a hole in the egg, to encourage the three inquisitive meerkats to forage inside, putting their exploratory skills to the test.
Dan Simmonds, Zoological Operations Manager, said: “Easter is often a time for treats, and while there were no chocolate eggs in sight for the animals, our meerkats and ring-tailed lemurs enjoyed some of their favourites — mealworms and sweet potato. Our Asiatic lion cubs, who have just turned one, are at a crucial stage in their development, honing their natural exploratory and hunting instincts. Enrichment — like the enormous, scented Easter egg — plays an important role in this, helping to diversify their habitat and encouraging them to fully engage their strength and remarkably keen sense of smell.”