Safari park completes annual animal count

Keepers at West Midlands Safari Park started 2026 by counting more than 1,000 animals across almost 100 species that are in their care.

The annual task is for compliance with zoo licencing regulations, and conservation and breeding programme management.

It means keepers at the Bewdley attraction were required to count the park's largest animals, such as the elephants, giraffes and rhinos but also its smallest, which included whole ant colonies and fish.

Once the count is complete, the figures are submitted to the relevant authorities and added to the Park's official records.

As well as being a legal requirement, the count provides an opportunity for keepers to review habitats, monitor animal wellbeing and reflect on the growth and success of conservation breeding programmes throughout the year.

In 2025, all the babies added to the park were given names starting with the letter N.

Head of Wildlife, Angela Potter, said: "The growing list includes three Sumatran tiger cubs, Naresh, Nadirah and Nova, along with three lion cubs, Nox, Nero and Nancy.

"Also joining the records are Indian rhino calf Nurani, Northern giraffe calf Namara, two blesbok calves, two barasingha fawns, four Eld's deer, a chinchilla, red panda twins Nadiya and Nikisha, 11 Seba's short-tailed bats and 18 lorikeet chicks.

"In 2026 we will move onto the letter O, so we are looking forward to seeing what new arrivals we will have to count in the coming months."

Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.