WEST Midland Safari Park is celebrating after raising over £25,000 for several wildlife conservation charities, at a recent fundraising event.

Last month, to mark the park’s 50th anniversary, staff hosted a ‘Conservation Dinner’, the first event of its kind that the park has held.

All proceeds raised on the evening have been split between the Park’s five conservation partners: Global Penguin Society, WildCats Conservation Alliance, Save the Rhino International, The Mali Elephant Project and Lemur Conservation Association (AEECL).

 Chris Kelly, managing director, said, "We are delighted to have raised over £25,000 for our conservation partners at our recent charity dinner.

“The occasion was to mark our 50th anniversary and we were honoured to see so many friends of the park attend, join together and donate to causes close to our hearts.

“We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who has donated, as the funds will go some way to saving and protecting our animals' wild counterparts.”

The park has worked with its chosen charities for over five years and donates to them annually, as well as raising awareness of the important work each organisation does for wild animals.

Projects include safeguarding Sumatran tigers in the Kerinci Seblat National Park in Sumatra, helping to restore a colony of Magellanic penguins in Patagonia and collaborating with communities in Madagascar.