Cleo’s winter diet

Keepers have upped the daily food intake for Patagonian sealion, Cleo, during the cold weather.

The 26-year-old is currently being given a bucket of sprats a day to bulk up her winter weight to ensure she keeps warm in her freezing moat pools.

Section Leader, Jay Haywood, pictured above, said: “At the moment Cleo weighs around 130kg, but during winter her weight will increase to just under 200kg as a fatty layer under her skin is needed to keep her at an optimum temperature during the chilly months.

“We’ll keep feeding her with the extra food until she lets us know she’s ready to cut down as she’ll suddenly stop eating it all.

“So when we start noticing uneaten sprats remaining on the bottom of the moat floor, we’ll know it’s time to start reducing her diet.”