Knowsley safari park celebrates 50 years of delighting Merseyside

Video Report by Paul Crone

Knowsley Safari Park has been celebrating over fifty years of entertaining and serving Merseyside.

The park first opened in the summer of 1971 to hundreds of people trying to get a glimpse of the revolutionary new attraction on Merseyside.

David Ross, Knowsley Safari's first boss said: "The concept of having the the public, all the people in their cars, in their cages and having the animals roaming free was totally revolutionary of his time.

"I got to know the park so well, I knew virtually every blade of grass by name."

The closure of the park for 217 days during the pandemic left it deserted apart from the animals.

In 1998, Granada met elephant keeper Andy Fowler. He's still there to this day. He says he has probably "spent more time with the elephants than my own family", especially in his early days.

Safari owner Lord Derby said: "Very few people are able to get out to Africa or Asia to see these animals in the wild.

"To give an opportunity for people to come here to see them is really important."

Knowsley Safari also promotes animal conservation, providing work experience to young people in the community and educating the public about exotic animals.