Safari park animal keepers have completed their New Year animal count, tallying creatures from towering giraffes to colonies of tiny fruit beetles.
These yearly counts are essential for maintaining wildlife park licenses.
Last year saw several births at West Midlands Safari Park in Bewdley, alongside arrivals such as African elephants, a white rhino, and a zebra from parks across the UK and Europe.
Angela Potter, head of wildlife at the park, explained that all species—including fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates—were accounted for. For certain minibeasts, like fruit beetles and cockroaches, the keepers recorded them as colonies instead of counting each individual due to their large numbers.
This year, keepers recorded 109 species and over 1,000 individual animals. Following tradition, all animals born last year were given names starting with “M,” and this year’s newborns will receive names beginning with “N.”
Malaika, a white rhino calf, was the first arrival in January 2024. Other notable births included Mtembei the giraffe calf, Manilow the Grevy’s zebra foal, and Maya, a lowland anoa calf. The year’s final additions were two barasingha deer and two Eld’s deer.
These births are part of a collaborative breeding program aimed at conserving endangered species, Potter said. “The annual count underscores the successes of our conservation efforts, which is something we’re incredibly proud of.”
Notable animal arrivals from other parks included African elephants Suzy and Gitana from Belgium, white rhino Bonnie from Woburn Safari Park, and Angus, a Grevy’s zebra, from Marwell Zoo.