ALiverpool supplement - Knowsley Safari Park

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EXCLUSIVE ECHO READER OFFER INSIDE

Thepark: itshistoryand itsfuture

Animals dothe oddestthings – fab

facts andfunny

photos

NEWS Thursday, July 21, 20112 ★★★★

KNOWSLEYSAFARIPARK● 40thANNIVERSARYCELEBRATION

ContentsPAGES 2-3:Welcome from the current Earl ofDerby and the history of past earls.

PAGES 4-5:How Knowsley Safari Park was created.Timeline of key events over the past 40years of the park.

PAGE 6:Knowsley Safari Park today – all thefacts you’ll ever need to know.

PAGE 7:Knowsley snippets.

PAGE 8:Animals do the funniest things – theweird and wacky world of creatures.

PAGE 9:Up close and personal – VIP Knowsleyexperiences you’ll never forget.

PAGE 10:Conservation and breeding – what wedo and why we do it.

PAGE 11:A life lived among animals – meetgeneral manager David Ross.

PAGE 12:Exclusive reader offers.

HELLO and a very warm welcometo this special supplement marking40 years since the opening ofKnowsley Safari Park.

Over the next 12 pages I hopeyou will gain some insight into howthe park came about, its history,the challenges we have faced overthe years and the work we dotoday, both in terms of speciesconservation, breeding andproviding one of the biggest touristattractions in the country.

There are some wonderfulphotos – both of animals andhumans – some fascinating factsabout the park, an illuminatinghistory and some intriguing storiesof our time spent here with theanimals. We’ve also included somevery special offers as a way of sayingthank you to you, the people ofMerseyside, for your continuedsupport.

Four decades ago, when the ideaof a safari park here in Knowsleywas first mooted, there was littleelse like it in the UK. Nowhere elsecould you find a park so close tosuch a large urban population, aplace where human beings wereable to get as close as possible tosome of the most magnificentcreatures on the planet and allfrom their very own ‘cage’ – theirown car.

It seems a long time ago sincethe park welcomed those firstday-trippers, 200,000 in the firstmonth alone.

Over the intervening years wehave seen many changes and facedmany challenges, not least the footand mouth crisis and more thanone recession. Yet we haveemerged as the successful businessyou see today – a must-go-toattraction which brings visitors in

from across the north of England toboost the local economy yet alwayswith animal welfare at its heart.

I am enormously proud of whathas been achieved at Knowsley andexcited at what we may yet achievein the coming years.

If you have visited us in the past,do come again. There is alwayssomething new to see, somethingdifferent to experience and interms of value for money we’rehard to beat.

If you have never enjoyed whatwe offer here across 500 acres thentry to come soon – the schoolsummer holidays are almost hereand now is the perfect time to seeour animals at their best.

Either way I look forward towelcoming you to our park.

Yours,

The Earl of Derby WARM WELCOME: TheEarl of Derby

‘Soproudofourachievements’

HistoryofKnowsley Safari Park is open daily (March 1 toOctober 31) from 10am until 4pmEntry prices:Adults (16 years and over) £15Children (3-15 years) £11OAPs (60 and over) £11Season ticket: Adult, £40Child/OAP: £30● SEE OUR GREAT VALUE SEASONTICKET OFFER ON PAGE 12Season tickets are valid for 12 months from dateof purchase and also gives you 10% off allpurchases in the shop and restaurant.Amusement rides:£2 per ticket, £10 per wristband.Rides are open weekends and school holidaysfrom February half term to October. Rides openfrom noon and height restrictions apply.Winter Opening Times: November 1 toFebruary 28: WEEKENDS ONLY10.30am open, 3pm last entry. Closed December24th/25th, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s DayHow to find us:From M62 exit at junction 6 then take the M57exit at junction 2. At the roundabout follow thebrown safari signs.SatNav reference: L34 4AN

USEFUL INFORMATION

REMARKABLE: A portrait of Edward Smith Stanley,the 13th Earl of Derby who created his ownmenagerie in the 19th century

License granted courtesy of the Rt Hon The Earl of Derby

VISITORS arriving today atthe safari park inevitablywill be looking forward to aday out among the animals.But did you know the park,

its owners and their ancestors, haveplayed a crucial part in the country’shistory?

The Stanley family have owned theKnowsley Estate since the 14th century.

Lord Thomas Stanley was created the1st Earl of Derby after the Battle ofBosworth in 1485 when he recovered thecrown of the slain Richard III and placed iton the head of his stepson, Henry Tudor.

The 5th Earl maintained a company ofactors, one of whom was WilliamShakespeare. Later, the bard’s AMidsummer Night’s Dream wasperformed for the first time at thewedding of the 6th Earl, in front of an

audience that included Queen Elizabeth I.The 12th Earl gave his name to the

famous Derby horse race which hestarted in 1780, while the 14th Earl wasprime minister three times duringQueen Victoria’s reign.

The 16th Earl was President of theBoard of Trade and Governor General ofCanada, and the 17th was Minister ofWar during the First World War, as wellas Ambassador to France after theconflict.

Yet it was the 18th Earl we must thankfor the founding of the park itself andhis nephew, the 19th and current earl,who inherited the title in 1994 and whostill runs it today.

Of course the Knowsley Estate washome to exotic species from around theworld long before the actual safari parkopened in 1971.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Knowsley SafariPark general manager David Ross,who has been there since it opened,celebrates the anniversary withRigsby the giraffe

Words: SUSAN LEEDesigner: RACHEL HERRITY

Thursday, July 21, 2011 NEWS 3★★★★

KNOWSLEYSAFARIPARK● HISTORY

earlspastandpresent

MAGNIFICENT: Knowsley Hall, ancestral home of the Earlsof Derby

The 13th Earl of Derby had a lifelongpassion for natural history and createdhis own menagerie in the mid 19thcentury which contained, at its peak, 318species of birds and 94 species ofmammals.

They occupied paddocksand buildings covering morethan 100 acres of land, createdby an army of 400 labourershired specifically for the task.

Lord Derby’s scientificinterest in animals led him tobecome a founding member of

the Zoological Society of London in 1826,and he was president of the organisationfrom 1831 until he died in 1851.

Following his death the IllustratedLondon News described hismenagerie as the mostcomplete and importantprivate zoological collectionin the world and added that‘it is hard to think of a moreperfect epitaph for a trulyremarkable man’.

If you get a chance, take alook at Knowsley Hall itself.It’s a fascinating structure,with the earliest part of thebuilding dating from 1495and boasting a classicGeorgian facade and somefine Jacobean, baroque andVictorian interiors.

These include the 58-foot-long statedining room, originally created in 1820by the 12th Earl of Derby to celebrate avisit by George IV.

Other highlights include anexceptional library and an unusualwalnut drawing room inspired byeighteenth century French design.

The hall – which is set in a 2,500-acreprivate park created by CapabilityBrown – can be used for events includingweddings, conferences, seminars,product launches, dinners and balls.

It is also open to the public for oneweek each summer and is much indemand as a film and TV location,featuring in programmes as diverse asthe The Forsyte Saga and Hollyoaks.

Above all it remains a family housefor the current earl, his wife and threechildren.

MAKING HISTORY:Thomas Stanley, the firstEarl of Derby in 1485

NEVER MIND: Visitors remain cheerful despite finding themselvesin the breakdown lane

BEST PALS: A charming 1974 snapshot of an elephant and a rhino who became friends at the Safari Park

CHEEKY MONKEY: Stanley the baboon tries to steal some cake meantfor all the monkeys

REMEMBER WHEN: How the Liverpool ECHOreported the opening of Knowsley Safari Park

SAFARIFACTThe park

occupies an areaof more than

500 acres


KNOWSLEYSAFARIPARK● HOWTHEPARKWASCREATED

CrowdscameWHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT?: One of the park’sfamous baboons has a rest on a visitor’s car

CUTE CUB: Derby the lion cub gets to know a safariofficer

THESE days we take safari parks forgranted, but the idea of visitors“caged” in their cars, while theanimals roam free, was introduced tothe UK in the mid 1960s.

The idea, based on the drive-through gamereserves of East Africa, is widely credited toJimmy Chipperfield of Chipperfield’s Circusfame.

He worked with the Marquess of Bath on thecreation of the first park at Longleat whichopened in 1966, and then with the Duke ofBedford on Woburn Safari Park which openedin 1970.

While Woburn was in development, JimmyChipperfield was also in discussions with

the 18th Earl of Derby on plans for KnowsleySafari Park.

However, Knowsley wasfundamentally different to the

previous projects because it wasthe first safari park that

would be created near to abig city – just eight

miles from Liverpoolcity centre – andthe first that wouldbe surrounded bysuburban housingestates.

Against thisbackground,

planners were understandably nervous aboutthe project, particularly in terms of its potentialto cause traffic problems. As a result, itattracted a significant amount of publicity.

In fact, one newspaper called the applicationfor the park “one of the strangest ever to beconsidered by Lancashire County CouncilPlanning Authority”.

Despite these misgivings, all the regulatoryhurdles had been satisfactorily overcome byOctober, 1970, but even then there was still anelement of doubt about the project.

According to press reports at the time, LordDerby had still not decided whether to proceedbecause of the huge practical difficulties to beovercome, not least of which was theconstruction of five miles of new roads.

In the end, the 18th Earl finally gave the parkthe green light in early November, and workbegan on the huge task of transforming 346acres of the Knowsley Estate into the newvisitor attraction which was set to open thefollowing summer.

By January, 1971, the PR campaign for thepark was also in full swing, with Lord Derbyappearing in the press riding a baby elephant infront of Knowsley Hall, as Lady Derby walked avery boisterous lion cub on a lead.

The first animals began to arrive in earlyJune, ahead of the planned opening in earlyJuly, but even at this late stage there were stillproblems for Lord Derby and Park generalmanager Lawrence Tennant, formerly the ChiefGame Warden of Uganda.

Firstly, the arrival of the park’s elephants wasdelayed for several weeks due to a dock strike inMombasa, Kenya.

And then just before the park opened, a TV

NEW ARRIVAL:A newborngiraffe

KEY OF THE DOOR: An elephant and hiskeeper celebrate the park’s 21st birthday


KNOWSLEYSAFARIPARK● TIMELINE

There have been many milestonesacross the 40 year history ofKnowsley Safari Park.

Here are just some of the mostimportant:

● October 1970 – The 18th Earl of Derby obtainsplanning permission for a new wildlife and gamereserve on 346 acres of his Knowsley estate. It will bethe first safari park in the north of England and thefirst near a big city.● June 1971 – A TV company screens aKnowsley Safari Park advert early by mistakeand creates chaos, as thousands of people areturned away at the gates.● July 1971 – Knowsley Safari Park opens its gates forthe first time. One of the key attractions – the herd ofelephants – arrives just in time after being delayed by adock strike in Kenya.● August 1971 – 200,000 people visit the parkin the first month, creating five-mile tailbacks.On one day 6,500 cars carrying over 30,000people pass through the park. Over 150vehicles break down.● 1972 – A dolphinarium is the latest addition to thepark. Four dolphins – Duchess, Flipper, Dozy andScouse – give daily performances.● 1973 – The safari drive at Knowsley isextended from 3.5 to 5 miles to create a newwhite rhino reserve, making the drive at theattraction the longest in the UK.● Mid 1970s – The UK is hit by a major recessionand Knowsley Safari Park suffers a decline in visitors.● Early 1980s – For several years, stages of theRAC Rally are held at Knowsley Safari Park togenerate interest and income.● 1982 – The park opens a new theatre to stage itsdaily sealion shows.● 1993 – Knowsley takes delivery of newanimals following the closure of Windsor SafariPark including seven elephants, creating thelargest jumbo herd in Europe at the time.● 1994 – The 19th Earl of Derby takes over therunning of the Knowsley Estate and park andimmediately announces a major redevelopmentprogramme. This regeneration project heralds thestart of a new era of ever-rising visitor numbers at thepark.● 1994 – Knowsley Safari Park is voted as thearea’s top attraction in the Merseyside TourismAwards.● 1997 – One of the most famous events in thepark’s history occurs when a camel is killed by lightningduring a summer thunderstorm.● 1998 – The profile of the park soars when itis the subject of a Granada reality TV series.● 2000 – The park receives its first royal visit – theDuke of Edinburgh.● 2001 – The UK is hit by a major outbreak offoot-and-mouth disease, the first since 1967. Asa result the park is forced to close its gates formany weeks.● 2002 – Knowsley Safari Park introduces a car andcoach-friendly route around the monkey jungle forvisitors wishing to avoid its infamous baboons.● 2004 – The Safari School welcomes its firstchildren. This purpose-built education centreoffers a range of sessions on animal-relatedthemes linked to the National Curriculum.● 2005 – Knowsley celebrates the arrival of thefirst-ever critically endangered Pere David’s Deertwin fawns to be born in captivity.● 2005 – Visitor numbers at KnowsleySafari Park are at a 30-year high. The

attraction welcomes 500,000 peopleduring the year.● 2006 – Knowsley unveils its new baboonhouse, built by contractors who have to befenced in to protect them from theinhabitants of the monkey jungle.● 2007 – The Aerial Extremeadventure ropes course opens.● 2008 – Knowsley launches its new£600,000 sealion facility.● 2009 – The park is forced to issue a

warning to visitors with rooftop luggage boxeson their cars after the Knowsley baboonsmaster the art of breaking into them.● 2010 – Knowsley Safari Park is voted Britain’s topwildlife attraction by viewers of the documentary TVchannel Eden.● 2011 – Three white rhino calves are born atKnowsley in the space of two months,reinforcing the park’s conservation credentials.

TIMELINE

in their thousandsstation screened an advert for the park earlyby mistake, which meant that thousands ofpeople had to be turned away at the gates.

Despite these mishaps, the park opened ina blaze of glory on Saturday July 3 andimmediately became a huge success.

By the end of the month, 200,000 peoplehad visited the attraction. By the end of theyear, this figure had risen to well over half amillion.

One man who remembers the hecticearly days well is current generalmanager David Ross, then theattraction’s chief warden.

“Safari parks are very wellestablished now but back in 1971they were a totally new concept, andthe opening generated a huge amountof interest and excitement”, he said.

“As a result, people converged on thepark in huge numbers to see this newphenomenon for themselves and,looking back, I’m not sure how we copedwith the flood of visitors.

“We had the police trying to cope withlong traffic jams outside the park, and themotoring organisations trying to deal withhundreds of breakdowns in the park.

“On one day 6,500 vehicles came throughthe gates, containing 30,000 visitors. Wehad to close early in order to try and getthem all out again before nightfall. Thelast one left about 10pm.

“They were amazing days, butwhat’s even more remarkable is that40 years on the park is still here, andstill a big success.”

CHECK UP: Safari park generalmanager David Ross inspects arhino during his rounds

I’M NOT USED TOTHIS COLD: A lionclimbs up a safaripark tree in a bid toget away from thesnowy conditions

LONG WAIT: Queues of trafficwait to get into the newly openedKnowsley Safari Park in 1971. Inset:Last chance to fill up with petrolbefore the safari drive

HAVE YOU HEARD THISONE?: Comic Ken Goodwinenjoys a joke with Nellie theelephant during a visit to thesafari park in 1974

TRUNK CALL: One of the safari parkelephants who liked to play practicaljokes


KNOWSLEYSAFARIPARK● THEPARKTODAY

STAR ATTRACTIONS: The threebaby white rhino calves; Troy, Rosieand Bugo enjoy an outing while, belowright, the park also has a new routefor drivers who want to see thebaboons without risking their cars

CONFIDENT:Knowsley Safari Parkgeneral manager,David Ross IN THE SWIM: The revamped sealion enclosure with its bigger outdoor

pool and above, the safari park has its biggest ever pride of lions this year

SomethingtosuitalltastesF

ORTY years afteropening its gates for thefirst time, KnowsleySafari Park remainsone of the North West’s

most popular attractions givingvisitors the chance to get ‘upclose and personal’ with around700 exotic animals from all overthe globe.

These include rhinos, camels,buffalo, bison, wildebeest, lions,tigers, monkeys, deer, antelope,wallabies and – of course –Knowsley’s infamous baboons!

The good news for driversconcerned about their vehicles isthat these days they can choose toview these mischievousinhabitants of the monkey junglefrom the safety of the car andcoach-friendly route.

Highlights at Knowsley thisyear alone have included threewhite rhino calves –Troy, Rosie and Bugo– and the park’sbiggest-ever pride oflions, including fiveyoung cubs.

Visitors can goaround the safaridrive as many timesas they like duringthe day, and eachtime the experiencewill be different.

But there’s lots ofother things to dowhile at the parkother than the safari

drive. Otherattractions includethe safari villagewith its woodlandwalk, miniaturerailway andwalkaround animalarea where elephants, giraffes,meerkats and otters can beviewed at close quarters.

A major feature in this area isthe park’s revamped sealionfacility, with a larger outdoorpool and underwater viewingfacilities, which enable visitors towatch the sealions’ anticsthroughout the day, not just atshow times.

Meanwhile, Knowsley’s BugHouse offers everything fromsnakes and lizards to spiders andcockroaches, while there aregoats, lambs, cattle and horses forthe children to pet and enjoy at

Lake Farm.Knowsley is also

home to AerialExtreme – the NorthWest’s largestadventure ropes course– and an amusementpark with a wideselection of rides forthe family. (Additionalcosts apply for the

ropes course and rides).Safari Park general manager,

David Ross, explained: “Becauseof all our new animals anddevelopments over the yearsthere’s a huge amount to see anddo at the park, which is whywe’re one of the North West’s fewgenuine all-day attractions.

“As a result, we offer excellentvalue for money which is why Iam confident that we willcontinue to attract large numbersof visitors, old and new, duringthe course of our fortiethanniversary year.”

The park is open dailythroughout the summer andweekends during the winter.

Tickets cost £15 for adults and£11 for children and OAPs andinclude a free full-colourguidebook and audio guide foreach vehicle.

For more details aboutKnowsley Safari Park ring the24-hour information line on0151-430 9009 or log on towww.knowsleysafariexperience.co.uk

SAFARIFACT

In total there aremore than 15

miles of fences inand around the

attraction

LEARN THE ROPES:Visitors enjoy the safaripark’s Aerial Extremeattraction


KNOWSLEYSAFARIPARK● SAFARISNIPPETS

FFrreeddddiiee ffiinnddsshhiiss fflliippppeerrss

Knowsley Safari Parkprides itself on therealways being somethingnew to see or providing anew experience. Here area few snippets from theparks’ history – and somesurprising facts from today

FISHY BUSINESS: Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff learns how to be a sealion trainer at Knowsley Safari Park

● In 2007 cricketing legend FreddieFlintoff spent time at Knowsleylearning to be a sealion show presenter.The Lancashire and England star wasfilming for a Sky TV series which sawhim trying his hand at a range ofcareers which also included working asa bingo caller and an Elvisimpersonator!

● In 2005 hundreds of birdwatchersconverged on Knowsley after a rarered-necked grebe took up residence on oneof the park lakes. According to the RSPB,fewer than 20 of the birds from Finland andRussia stay in this country in the summer,and then almost always around the south andeast coasts.

● The animals atKnowsley include Africanhunting dogs which arebecoming increasinglyrare in the wild. The Latinname for the dogs means‘painted wolf’ whichreflects their colourfulcoats of brown, black,yellow and white patches.Rather like fingerprints inhumans, no two dogs haveexactly the same patternon their fur.

● A top London dentistswapped his West End clinic

for Knowsley to work on an elephant’sbroken tusk. African bull elephant Nissimneeded the treatment – the equivalent of ahuman root canal filling on a mammothscale – from Peter Kertesz because the riskof serious infection from an untreatedinjury of this type is high and can be fatal.

● One of thestars ofKnowsley’s exoticbird show went‘flyabout’ in 2006.Sally, a16-year-old Blueand Gold Macaw,was missing formore than aweek andkeepers wereextremelyconcerned abouther welfare.Fortunately, shewas found safeand well fivemiles away in atree in the

garden of a Kirkby couple.

● Lord Derby was one of the first peopleto brave Knowsley’s Aerial Extremeadventure ropes course when it opened inspring 2007. 60-foot-high poles wereimported from Norway to create thecourse which features 60 different obstaclesincluding rope bridges, steel rope traverses,scramble nets, zip wires, vines, swinginglogs and a climbing wall.

● Meerkat mania arrived atKnowsley Safari Park in 2009 thanksto high-profile TV coverage of thespecies. The small mammals shot upto number two in the attraction’spopularity charts – just behind thebaboons – thanks to the antics ofAleksandr, star of the ‘compare themeerkat’ TV commercials, and

programmes like Meerkat Manor.

● Knowsley bosses launched a specialtaxi advertising campaign during lastyear’s football World Cup. 30 cabs werecovered with photos of the park’sinfamous baboons taken during the2006 tournament when the inhabitantsof the monkey jungle amassed a hugecollection of England flags stolen fromvisitors’ cars.

● In 2007 park bosses named theirlatest baby rhino Flannery to mark asponsorship deal with St Helens RugbyClub lock forward, Chris Flannery.The young rhino was soon making theheadlines himself, after his interest invisitors’ cars resulted in him blockingthe safari drive and causing longqueues.

CLOSE UP: Flannery, the whiterhino, named after Saints starChris Flannery, shows a bit toomuch interest in the visitors’ cars

INTREPID: Lord Derby tackles the high wire course at KnowsleySafari Park. Right: the meerkats are hugely popular

RARE: African huntingdogs at the safari park

SAFARIFACTThe park is

home to around700 mammals

from 30 species


KNOWSLEYSAFARIPARK● ANIMALSDOTHEFUNNIESTTHINGS

Youcheekymonkeys!A

NIMALS can do the funniestthings – and that’s certainly beentrue at Knowsley Safari Parkover the years.Often, it’s been the park’s

baboons that have been the main culprits,most notably in 2009 when the inhabitants ofthe monkey jungle learnt how to break intocar rooftop luggage boxes.

A number of families had to watchhelplessly as hairy hands grabbed thecontents of the boxes and the baboonsdisappeared into the distance – and up thetrees – with clothes, hats, shoes and otherholiday items.

As a result, Knowsley bosses had to warnvisitors with cargo boxes on their vehicles touse the alternative car-friendly route around.They staged a demonstration, too, of whatcould happen, and photos of the baboons’antics appeared in many nationalnewspapers as well as on TV stations as farafield as America, China and Australia.

Safari Park General Manager, David Ross,reflects: “When the first luggage box wasbroken into we didn’t really take an awful lotof notice – we just thought it was a one-offincident with a faulty box or lock.

“However, when the problem kepthappening, it quickly became clear that thebaboons had acquired an unfortunate new skill.

“Their technique involves the largestbaboons jumping up and down on the box,

flexing it until the lock bursts open, when therest of the baboons pile in to see what theycan find.

“Obviously, we’re well used to themhelping themselves to the odd wing mirror orwiper blade, but this has taken things to awhole new level. Let’s face it, nobody wantsto see a baboon running up a tree with theirunderwear.”

The Knowsley baboons have made theheadlines for other reasons, too. In therun-up to the football World Cup in Germanyin 2006, they amassed a huge collection ofEngland flags stolen fromvisitors’ cars.

Over the last two verycold winters, photos ofkeepers giving thebaboons bakedpotatoes to help themkeep warm have alsoappeared widely inboth the press andbroadcast media.

Meanwhile,back in 2005 thepark was forcedto issue a visitor

warning of a different kind, this time to thedrivers of Smart cars.

While larger, more substantial vehiclesbarely raised an eyebrow amongst the park’spride of lions, those arriving in Smart carswere being routinely chased by aggressivelions.

Experts believe this was because thevehicle is a similar size to the lions’ principalprey such as antelope and gazelle.

In the same year, the press were alsoreporting how a kitchen stove saved the livesof two baby ostriches at Knowsley.

The drama began when an ostrich nest atthe park was flooded out in torrential

overnight rain and three eggs wereabandoned by the mother.

By the time thewaterlogged eggs were

discovered nextmorning, they were

very cold andkeepers thought

that the chickshad been lost.

However, amember of

staffdecided

to make alast-ditch

attempt to savethe eggs by popping

them in the oven to try and revive them withheat.

After the eggs had been in the oven on alow light for several days, hopes of successwere fading fast when – remarkably, andagainst all odds – two of the three hatched outsuccessfully a week later.

Bearing in mind their remarkable entryinto the world, the ostrich babies were namedHarry and Houdini after the famousAmerican escapologist.

Another story that attracted the attentionof the press at home and abroad occurredwhen one of the Knowsley keepers welcomeda ‘deer’ friend into her home as a lodger.

Section Head Emma Gatcliffe effectively lether spare bedroom to Sultana, a babySitatunga antelope she was hand rearingafter the fawn was abandoned by her mother.

Because Sultana needed bottle feedingevery four hours, Emma took her home fromthe park each evening in a dog carrier in hercar.

Emma said at the time: “This arrangementhas been working very well for the last fewweeks, although it hasn’t done wonders formy bedroom carpet!

“Sultana is very affectionate and hasquickly got used to our routine – she’swaiting by my car ready to come home everyevening.”

Proof, if it were needed, that animals reallydo have minds of their own . . . . .

WE’RE IN: The pack of baboons easily open the luggage rack on topof the car

WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE?: The cheeky monkeys waste no timein pulling out the contents

HELP YOURSELVES: By now it’s a complete free for all with baboons coming from all over to get a piece ofthe action while the hapless owners can only look on helplessly Pictures: MARTIN BIRCHALL

FLYING THE FLAG:A baboon with anEngland flag swipedfrom a visitor’s car


KNOWSLEYSAFARIPARK● KNOWSLEYTODAY

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME: Knowsley keeper Emma Gatcliffe let Sultanathe baby Sitatunga antelope lodge in her home when the fawn wasabandoned by its mother Picture: MARTIN BIRCHALL

Getevenclosertothesafarianimals!

THIS is the ultimate safari experience. A deluxe dayout featuring a fully-guided tour in one of the park’svehicles, taking you off the beaten track to many areasnot normally open to the public.

Get up close and personal with iconic species likethe elephants and the giraffes. You can meet the starsof the sealion show.

It all adds up to a day you’ll never forget.

JOIN the team of expert keepers for aday and find out what Knowsley’s 700

animals are really like, and how they’relooked after to ensure they’re in tip-top

condition.From checking on the inhabitants of the bug

house, to mucking out the elephants, you’reguaranteed a day of memorablebehind-the-scenes experiences and hands-onencounters.

FIND out more about your favourite species of animalby meeting and working with one of the keepers wholook after them.

This is a unique opportunity to go behind the scenesand learn more from the experts about the exoticanimal that most interests you.

From ants to elephants, and baboons to big cats,the choice is yours.

DID you know Knowsley Safari Park offers anOUTREACH service, delivering educational sessionsfor nursery groups through to secondary schools andbeyond?

They provide a range of national curriculum basedsessions involving an array of live animals and bioartefacts.

They are also happy to chat about tailor-madesessions, depending on your needs or interests.

For more information and cost details, contact thepark on 0151 430 9009 (ext 211) or emailOUTREACH officer Nikki, [email protected]

Knowsley Safari Park’s success has been built on offering a great-value dayout for all the family. But if you want to get up close and personal to theanimals to an even greater extent there are several exclusivebehind-the-scenes opportunities on offer to visitors as well. Perfect as abirthday or Christmas gift or as a treat for yourself the range of‘experiences’ are an ideal way to get closer than ever to the park’sinhabitants

VIP TOURS

KEEPERFORADAY

ANIMALEXPERIENCES

CLASSROOMANIMAL

EXPERIENCES

SLIPPERY CUSTOMERS: School pupils get to hold a snake and stick insect during a visit from aKnowsley Safari Park keeper to their school

SAFARIFACT

Each year the animalsconsume 15,000 balesof hay and 8,000 bales

of straw


KNOWSLEYSAFARIPARK● CONSERVATIONANDBREEDING

ANIMAL collections across the world areincreasingly putting conservation in thewild at the top of their agenda.

Knowsley’s Research andConservation Team was formed to takethe lead in this key area. Team membersare involved in a wide range of activities,for example sponsoring organisationssuch as the Primate Society of GreatBritain which has helped to fundresearch into endangered species like thetarsier and slow loris in Asia.

Much closer to home, a record ofnative species biodiversity is beingaccumulated to assess the KnowsleyEstate’s role as a wildlife safe haven.Findings over the coming years willallow the park to improve habitats,create new ones and provide additionalnest boxes and roost sites.

To celebrate the park’s 40thanniversary, the team has also organiseda series of special events includinganimal talks, evening bat walks andearly morning bird walks.

Further afield, it is committed tosupporting conservation initiativeslike the REGUA project in Brazilwhich involves saving large areas ofrainforest.

Knowsley continues to support theEndangered Wildlife Trust which helpsto protect African hunting dogs byfunding anti-poaching teams,radio-tracking collars and vehicles.

New links have been forged with SaveThe Rhino, and the park has pledged£6,000 to the charity this year.

Team members are in frequent contactwith other collections about movingmale and female animals around to allowsuccessful breeding and maintain highgenetic diversity.

COLOURFUL: The safari park has inthe past run a fundraising initiative tohelp save the world’s frogs

TINY: The safari park sponsor thePrimate Society of Great Britainwhich helps protect species like thismarmoset

CONSERVATION

Protectingendangeredspecies

Proudofbreedingrecord

BREEDING

HIGHLIGHT: One ofthe three baby whiterhinos born at Knowsleyduring the winter

DEBUT: Ashanti, the firstelephant born at Knowsley

KNOWSLEY Safari Park is proud of itsrecord of breeding success.

The attraction’s wide open spaces andnear-natural conditions enable manyspecies to live in large groups similar tothose found in the wild.

Each year, late spring and earlysummer sees the park’s annualpopulation explosion, when anything upto 100 baby animals can be born.

In recent years, the only criticallyendangered Pere

David’s Deer twin fawns ever reared incaptivity were born at Knowsley.

A current breeding highlight is thepark’s trio of white rhino calves, bornwithin weeks of each other during thewinter.

Knowsley is the only place in the UK –and probably Europe – where three babyrhinos of this age can be seen together.

BEST OF FRIENDS: Mi-Lu the rarePere David’s Deer says hello to Kipperthe golden retriever

Diversenativewildlifeisactivelyencouraged

AS WELL as the exoticanimals the park is also ahaven for a wide range ofBritish wildlife, flora andfauna.

Estate bosses stronglybelieve that conservationbegins at home, so theyactively manage thewoodlands, lakes andponds to encourage thediversity of native species.

For example, enthusiastson a recent early morningbirdwalk saw or heard 35different species.

Ten species of waterfowlnormally nest around the

Mizzy Lake and buzzards,kestrels and other birds ofprey are also regularlyspotted. In total, around150 types of bird have beenrecorded at Knowsley since2000.

Elsewhere at the parkbrown hares, stoats andweasels also live in thewoodland where greysquirrels and even redsquirrels can be seen.

SAFARIFACT

Each year theanimals eat 500 tonsof fruit and veg and

120 tons of specialistfeed

NATIVE: Brown hares areamong the homegrownwildlife you might spot atthe safari park

BRITISHWILDLIFE

SPRING INTHE AIR:Spring sees anexplosion inthe animalpopulation atKnowsley


KNOWSLEYSAFARIPARK● GENERALMANAGERDAVIDROSS

‘I refusedIdiAmin–andlivedto tell thetale’

PRIVILEGE: David Ross celebrates his 40th year at Knowsley Safari Park withgiraffe Rigsby

MISSION: David on a Ugandan safari mission to captureelephants, with local man Murefu, and top left, with oneof the elephants at the safari park

DAVID Ross has always beenfascinated with wildlife sowhen he joined the teampreparing to open KnowsleySafari Park it was the perfect

job for him.But it’s a career which hasn’t been

without danger.In his time David has tracked and

caught elephant in the African bush,succumbed to serious illness there andeven entertained Idi Amin.

“It was an extraordinary time and anera that’s now long gone,” says David ofhis days in the early 1970s in Africa.

“I suppose I was there during thedeath throes of colonialism, I saw theUgandan equivalent of the Happy Valleyscene and also saw what Amin did to hisown people.

“But I also achieved my boyhoodambition of going to Africa and seeingthese wild animals in the bush

“After that I had a whole newadventure with Knowsley.”

A life among animals seemed anunlikely prospect for the young David,who, after going to school, was destinedfor a role within the family buildingbusiness.

Things took a different turn whenDavid was introduced to theChipperfield family, famous as a circusdynasty but also involved in setting upsafari parks in both Longleat and atWoburn.

“I was asked to help with somepre-planning at Woburn, went up thereand liked what I saw.”

The next step was to accompanyRichard Chipperfield on safari to sourceelephants, among other animals, forKnowsley.

“I remember looking out of theaircraft window at Africa below andthinking ‘wow, so this is it. This isAfrica’.”

The journey to central Uganda,however, was not to be straightforwardthanks to a military coup led by Amin.

“I was a greenhorn. Here I was facedwith bodies everywhere along theroadside yet our government said theman responsible, Idi Amin, was someonewe could do business with.”

Later he came face to face with theman himself when Amin drove intoDavid’s camp and asked him to trap,among other animals, a pair of cheetah.

“I gave him tea but had to say no.There were none of those species in thearea.

“Thinking back I’m probably one ofthe few men who has ever refused IdiAmin and lived.”

Over the following weeks and monthsDavid honed his skills in capturing allmanner of livestock for shipment back tothe UK but it was the challenge providedby elephant that was to prove the mostarduous.

“Richard Chipperfield said to me that

capturing an elephant wasthe most exciting thing youcould attempt and he wasn’twrong.”

David returned to Africatwice more on safari, thelast time falling seriouslyill with chronic hepatitisand by 1974 he knew hiscareer in the bush was over.

“I did miss it but the buzzhere at Knowsley was and isfantastic. I got to see the end product. Ihad to devote all my time and attentionto helping make Knowsley the best.

“People say ‘forty years in the samejob’. But it’s not the same job becauseevery day is different and you neverknow what to expect. It’s a way of life –just like being in the bush.”

Knowsley Safari Parkgeneral manager DavidRoss looks back over his 40years at the park and histime in the African bush

SAFARIFACT

The carnivores eat50 tonnes of meata year – equivalentto 250 zebra or 600impala in the wild


Superbsafarioffersforreaders

KNOWSLEY Safari Park iscelebrating its 40th anniversary withtwo great offers for visitors.

The first – half-price entry duringthe school summer holiday – isexclusively available to LiverpoolECHO readers presenting thevoucher below.

This means that the entry pricefor adults is only £7.50 while childrenand OAPs pay just £5.50.

The voucher covers all thepassengers in a car and can be usedat weekends and during the week atany time between now and August31, with the exception of BankHoliday Monday, August 29.

Safari Park general manager,David Ross, explained: “This is thefirst time we’ve ever run a half-priceoffer during our peak period, sowe’re hoping to welcome largenumbers of Liverpool ECHO readersduring this summer.

“For people living in thenewspaper’s circulation area, thesafari park is a great option for a dayout, especially with fuel prices attheir current levels.

“Because we’re right on theirdoorstep Merseysiders can come herewithout having the added expense ofpaying for a tank of petrol.”

The second 40th anniversaryspecial offer – a huge discount onseason ticket prices – is available toall the park’s visitors during thesummer.

People paying the normal full-priceadmission of £15 for adults and £11for children and OAPs can converttheir day ticket to a season ticket bypaying just £5 extra.

That’s just £20 (adults) and £16(children/OAPs) for unlimited visitsto the safari park over the next 12months.

David Ross added: “This is anotherfantastic offer which I think will proveincredibly popular over the next fewmonths.

“Because our animals are alwaysdoing something different, you cancome back here any number oftimes, and every visit will be unique.”

Families can take advantage of thisoffer – which is also available untilAugust 31 – by taking their ticketsand receipt to the park’s informationdesk during their visit.

Visitors who have used thevoucher below to enter the park willneed to pay the difference betweenhalf-price and full-price admission inorder to qualify for the season ticketoffer.

KNOWSLEY SAFARIPARK 40TH

ANNIVERSARY

This voucher provides half-price entry to all thepassengers in a car. Valid from Friday July 22nd2011 up to and including Wednesday August31st 2011, with the exception of Bank HolidayMonday, August 29th. Not to be used inconjunction with any other offer. Car entry only.Normal entry price £15 adult/£11 child/OAP.

Amusement rides not included in the admission price.Park opens 10am daily. Last entry 4pm.

OFFER PRICE £7.50:ADULT £5.50: CHILD/OAP

SPECIAL OFFER FOR

READERS

KNOWSLEYSAFARIPARK40thANNIVERSARYOFFERS

ALiverpool supplement - Knowsley Safari Park

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