WEST Midland Safari Park will host a fundraising week of activities during half term dedicated to the conservation of giraffes.

Giraffe Week will run from May 26 to June 3, where guests will have the chance to learn about the threats giraffes face in the wild, as well as highlight the work the Park does with its resident herd.

All the funds raised during the week will go to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF).

A variety of activities will take place including a giraffe-themed trail, where guests will follow clues detailed in a special Giraffe Ranger Log Book and receive a prize once completed.

Katie McDonald, Research and Conservation Officer, said: “People seem aware of the threats to animals such as elephants and rhinos, but less aware of the precarious state of giraffe populations.

“Giraffe numbers have dropped almost 40 per cent in the last 30 years, with loss of habitat being a major reason for the decline.

“Poaching and illegal hunting are also big problems. We hope by working with the GCF we can help to support the conservation of these beautiful animals.”

She added: “Giraffes are already extinct in at least seven countries in Africa, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature listing giraffe as ‘vulnerable’ in the wild.

“Major conservation efforts are required to prevent further decline, of which the GCF is dedicated to. We really hope that we can help to raise as much awareness as possible during Giraffe Week.”

Special talks will take place throughout the week, where guests can learn more about giraffes and the efforts taken to protect and conserve them.

There will also be a Craft Club in the Safari Academy, where guests will be able to make their very own giraffe bookmarks and door hangers.

Giraffe Week also coincides with Worcester Stands Tall, of which the Safari Park are official Education Sponsors.

The event will see a public art exhibition of decorated giraffe sculptures due to be dotted around the streets of Worcester during the summer months.

Facilitated by Wild In Art and brought to the city by St Richard’s Hospice, the event will enable local schools and renowned artists to design and decorate the sculptures.

Larger sculptures will eventually be auctioned off to raise money for the hospice, with more details on the project at www.worcesterstandstall.co.uk.

For more information on GCF, people can visit www.giraffeconservation.org/programmes/uganda-programme/.

And people can find out more about Safari Park’s Giraffe Week by visiting www.wmsp.co.uk or by telephone 01299 402114.