The start of 2026 has been a busy period for the dedicated animal care teams at West Midlands Safari Park, as they undertook the mammoth task of their yearly stocktake. This essential census involves meticulously counting every single animal under their protection, from the mightiest pachyderm to the tiniest insect.
A Monumental Task for Keepers
The annual count is a mandatory requirement for all licensed zoos and wildlife parks, serving vital roles in regulatory compliance, conservation management, and breeding programme oversight. While keepers monitor and check all animals daily, this formal inventory provides a crucial snapshot of the park's diverse population at the beginning of each new year.
Angela Potter, Head of Wildlife at the park, explained the process. "For some of the keepers of larger mammals, such as the elephant, ungulate and carnivore teams, it is not too hard a task to count the animals," she said. However, she noted the greater challenge faced by the Discovery Trail team, who are responsible for more elusive and numerous residents like the ant colony, invertebrates, lively lorikeets, and schools of cichlid fish.
New Additions and the 'N' Year
The 2025 count was particularly special due to a host of new arrivals, all given names beginning with the letter 'N' as part of the park's annual naming theme. More than 1,000 individual animals across 100 different species were recorded. The list of notable newborns is extensive and heartwarming.
It includes three Sumatran tiger cubs named Naresh, Nadirah, and Nova, alongside three lion cubs called Nox, Nero, and Nancy. The park also welcomed an Indian rhino calf named Nurani, a Northern giraffe calf called Namara, and red panda twins Nadiya and Nikisha.
Further additions to the inventory were two blesbok calves, two barasingha fawns, four Eld’s deer, a chinchilla, 11 Seba’s short-tailed bats, and a flock of 18 new lorikeet chicks. "In 2026 we will move onto the letter ‘O’," Angela Potter added, "so we are looking forward to seeing what new arrivals we will have to count in the coming months."
Planning Your Visit
For the public eager to see this thriving animal community, West Midlands Safari Park remains open throughout January, operating from Friday to Sunday. The park encourages guests to book their tickets in advance via its official website, a process which currently includes the valuable bonus of a free return visit.
This annual count not only fulfills a legal obligation but stands as a testament to the park's ongoing commitment to animal welfare, species conservation, and providing a home for an incredible array of wildlife right in the heart of the West Midlands.
