After the morning briefing with the rest of the animal team we drive up to the reserve and start our daily checks. No two days are alike and there’s lots to do. One job that’s especially important is counting the reserve’s animals and checking on the young, in particular those that have been born overnight. We started 2016 with the birth of a white rhino calf, the 11th to be born at Knowsley Safari in the last 10 years. Alongside the inevitable worries that come with the arrival of any newborn, is the enjoyment of seeing them explore their world and, as they get older, interact with their mum and the other rhinos in the reserve.
Our white rhino breeding programme has been incredibly successful and is recognised as one of the top breeding programmes in Europe for these animals. No matter how many births we see at the Safari, we don’t tire of watching each new arrival as it grows, explores and integrates into the crash. After a day looking after the animals and interacting with the Knowsley Safari guests there’s just time for the last checks of the day and writing up any reports ready to be discussed at the morning briefing the following day. It doesn’t take long for new members of the team to realise that it’s true what we say: there is no such thing as a typical day as a keeper at Knowsley Safari.
