Edinburgh Zoo closed due to foot and mouth

Edinburgh Zoo has been officially closed due to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

As part of the precautions which have been put in place, no visitors will be allowed entry to the actual zoo, although the giftshop and gallery will remain open to the public.

Office and shop staff will continue to work as normal, although they will also not have access to the zoo.

Essential staff such as keepers and plumbers will be allowed in through a side gate, where they will get a change of clothes and have their footwear disinfected. Temporary showers are also being installed.

Deliveries of essential items, such as animal feed, will be made to a perimeter gate at the zoo before being transferred inside by staff.

Edinburgh Zoo has more than 1,000 animals, including several species which staff say are vulnerable to the foot and mouth virus.

These include oryx, deer, rodents and two pig relatives - peccaries from South America and babirusa from Indonesia.