Longleat sends keepers out to help Australian bush fire relief effort
Two koala keepers from Longleat Safari Park are heading to Australia to join the wildlife protection effort as the bush fires continue.
Specialist keepers Graeme and James, who work in the Koala Creek, have been sent to South Australia to support numerous organisations there.
They will be working with South Australian Veterinary Emergency Management, Minton Farm Rescue and Manfred Heide Wombat Rescue.
Graeme Dick, Head of Animal Adventure at the park, said it's a "catastrophic situation" in which "Australia's unique wildlife is being particularly hard hit."
Longleat has been raising money to go towards to the relief fund.
Graeme and James will be taking $25,000 out with them to help the three organisations continue the work they're doing.
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Longleat has a close association with South Australia and Cleland Wildlife Park. It's the only zoological collection in Europe to look after southern koalas.The keepers have been given free tickets from Singapore Airlines to cover the cost of their travel as they head out to Cleland, near Adelaide.
The park has set up a fundraising page, which you can access here.