Monkeys and meerkats given Easter egg treats

Animals at London Zoo enjoyed an Easter egg hunt to keep them entertained as the attraction remains closed to the public for the bank holiday weekend.

Zookeepers arranged the activity for the meerkats and squirrel monkeys by painting papier-mache eggs in eye-catching colours and hiding tasty treats inside.

Animal manager Angela Ryan said: “After what has felt like a particularly long winter, Easter is finally approaching and the warm weather has made a comeback – making it the perfect time to put on an egg hunt for the animals to enjoy.”

The animals were kept amused as they hunted for their treats inside eggs and baskets among the sand and rocks in their enclosures.

Ms Ryan added: “The squirrel monkeys were particularly keen on hunting for snacks inside their Easter baskets and, while there were plenty of treat-filled eggs to go round, that didn’t stop a few of the meerkats getting protective over their Easter hoard – something that may be familiar to other households this Sunday.”

The 36-acre zoo has been closed to the public for months during lockdown, but will finally be reopening on April 12.