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Animals

This Is How You Weigh a Baby Penguin — Plus 6 More Adorable Animals on the Scale

Even though they wriggle, human babies are pretty easy to weigh because they can’t escape the scale. Animals, on the other hand, are an entirely different story. In fact, we’re guessing you probably never stopped to consider how difficult it must be for zookeepers to weigh the animals they care for each day.

While newborn babies can’t flip over and crawl away, animal babies often aren’t fans of staying put. Because of that, zoos often resort to wrapping infant animals in comfy blankets and plopping them in a bucket to keep them from waddling away. And it doesn’t get any easier when they get older! How are you supposed to weigh  a full-grown bear when it’s got a very sharp set of adult teeth? Or what about birds that finally learn to use their wings?

Weighing animals is important because it tells a zoo whether its inhabitants are being fed enough and alerts them if anyone gets sick. Fortunately, most zoos have figured out a pretty good system for weighing their animals without a fuss. 

For an instant pick-me-up, keep scrolling to see some adorable photos of not only baby animals being weighed but also some teeny-tiny adults on the scale, too. You’ll regret not having seen a lion cub in a bucket getting measured before — trust us!

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