The Edinburgh Zoo animals - including pygmy hippos - enjoying new beds created by recycled theatre set

The Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh said it had given its coconut coir matting from the set of The Mountaintop, which played at the venue in June, to the zoo.

The theatre donated around 5,000 litres of the material to the zoo, with the help of EIF's forklift. Some of the coir was also handed out to the general public and has been used in local allotments and gardens.

Mike Griffiths, chief executive at The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, said: “We’re delighted to be able to donate the coir recently used in our production of The Mountaintop to Edinburgh Zoo. Not only do we relish being able to support local charities and organisations, but it is also an excellent example of an innovative way of helping to achieve our sustainability objectives. We hope that Gloria and Otto enjoy their new bedding.”

Donald Gow, animal collection manager at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the Lyceum for their generous donation to our wildlife conservation charity. Their support not only helps us provide the highest standard of care for our amazing animals, but also promotes sustainability by reducing waste and giving unused products a valuable second life.

“It’s inspiring to see local organisations finding creative ways to contribute to our work. Coir is an especially useful resource for us. It’s a soft, comfy, natural alternative to peat-based products and our pygmy hippos in particular are very fond of it.”

He added: “We love knowing that this material gets a second act and is being used to help provide comfy bedding for some of the zoo's residents, including the pygmy hippos Otto and Gloria.”

The Mountaintop, by American playwright Katori Hall, is a fictional depiction of Martin Luther King Jr’s last night on earth set entirely in Room 306 of the Lorraine Motel on the eve of his assassination in 1968.