Credit: ZSL/Cover Images More than 60 people gathered on Whipsnade Zoo’s iconic 147m-long white lion to complete the final step of the famous landmark’s revamp - stamping down freshly laid chalk. Over 1100 tonnes of chalk was spread across the famous hillside figure’s 6525 square metre surface area by a devoted group of 40 volunteers over the last five months. But due to the rare, native flora and fauna that surrounds the chalk beast, the conservation zoo couldn’t use pesticides or machinery to compact its powdery surface, meaning they needed a whole lot of manpower to seal in the new layer. Three groups of 20 volunteers each tackled the head, body and tail respectively. A wet morning meant the chalk was suitably soft, creating the perfect conditions for a stamp in the afternoon sunshine. Sara Nicholas, volunteer advisor at Whipsnade Zoo, said: “The atmosphere on the white lion was amazing. There were some very unique approaches to stamping, with a few groups breaking out a line dance, or ‘lion dance’, to make sure their section was well and truly compacted.” The mass stomp, which took one hour to carry out, has ensured the historic monument will shine brightly for 2026, when ZSL - the conservation charity which runs Whipsnade Zoo - will celebrate its 200th anniversary. Sara continued, “Thanks to the ginormous efforts of our amazing volunteers – or the ‘white lion posse’ as they've been nicknamed - Whipsnade’s white lion is looking beautiful. “Stamping down the newly laid chalk was the final step in completing this magnificent carving’s makeover ahead of ZSL’s bicentenary next year.” Owen Craft, Director of Zoo Operations at ZSL added: “2026 is going to be a big year for ZSL, as we mark our 200th anniversary. Whipsnade Zoo’s white lion has stood proud on the Dunstable Downs for almost half of those 200 years, so it was really heartwarming to see so many people come together for its revamp ahead of our celebrations.” The core white lion volunteers will continue to maintain the iconic facade through weeding by hand every Thursday morning, whatever the weather. Sara concluded: “With so many staff and other volunteers from across the breadth of ZSL, including zookeepers, horticulturists, and our presenter team, temporarily joining the White Lion Posse to help stamp in the chalk that has been spread over its colossal head, body and tail, it was a true team effort.” Construction of the white lion began in 1931, and it took two years to excavate. The nearby Ivinghoe Beacon – now a National Trust site - was used by the construction team as a vantage point to regularly check the accuracy of the outline. During the Second World War, the lion was covered to prevent it from being used by enemy aircraft as a navigation point, and in May 1981, as part of Whipsnade Zoo’s 50th anniversary celebrations, the lion was illuminated using 750 lightbulbs.