Counting animals gives West Midlands Safari Park staff the hump
If only the animals stood two-by-two then staff at the West Midlands Safari Park might have an easy job when it comes to the annual stock-take.
It might not be as painstaking as counting the humps on the camels, the stripes of the zebras and the spots of the leopards but the details taken down by staff at the Bewdley-based attraction isn't far off.
As part of the animal count all birds, reptiles and insects including cockroaches and ants have to be noted down although staff are allowed to count the larger creatures such as the lions and rhinos from a suitable distance.
The count is a legal requirement that every safari park and zoo in the country must carry out.
Staff have to deal with creatures camouflaged in the trees or hidden under the cover of darkness.
West Midlands Safari Park bosses have described the stocktaking of the small creatures as 'a logistical nightmare'.
However, the safari park has the advantage of carrying out its count on a monthly basis throughout the year.
Once collected the figures are sent off to Wyre Forest District Council which then grants the park its licence.
The statistics are also an indicator for the attraction's popularity and the success of breeding and conservation programmes.
