Work begins on safari park's second phase of luxury lodges

West Midlands Safari Park has been granted permission to build more luxury lodges.

The white rhino lodges will sleep four people and will be the only experience of its kind in the UK. The ground floor will provide an open-plan living space with a balcony offering ground-level views of the rhinos. Two bedrooms and a bathroom will be located on the first floor, along with a balcony providing panoramic views of the rhinos and Safari.

In the giraffe lodges, guests will be able to come eye-to-eye with the Park's charismatic tower of eight giraffes from the balcony on the first floor, which is where the living room, kitchenette and dining room are situated. A bathroom and two bedrooms will be downstairs, providing accommodation for four people.

The introduction of the new lodges also enables the Park to update and improve the habitats of the animals, giving them 24-hour access to both their indoor and outdoor environments.

Managing Director, Chris Kelly said, "We're thrilled that planning has been granted for the next stage of our development. This will see new habitats, housing and facilities being built for our giraffes and white rhinos, enabling our brilliant team of wildlife keepers to continue the high standard of care they provide for our animals.

"Alongside the new animal facilities, we will be installing eight new lodges, four of which will offer spectacular views of the white rhinos, with the other half bringing you face-to-face with our beautiful giraffes, from the second-storey balconies. 

"We're hoping that we have the same guest reaction for the new lodges as we had for our elephant and cheetah lodges and our Red Panda Cottages, which has been outstanding. We look forward to releasing more information on booking and an opening date, later in the year."

White rhino and Rothschild's giraffe are classified as "Near Threatened" by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), with both species facing threats in the wild such as poaching and habitat loss.

The Park's white rhino and Rothschild's giraffe are both part of an EEP (European Endangered Species Programme), a breeding programme, supporting the conservation of their wild counterparts by creating a reserve population. The new facilities will enable the Park to continue their important work with the EEP.

As well as the new accommodation and habitats for the animals, the Park will also be installing pathways so that day guests can go to see the giraffes and African elephants on foot – a first for the Park in its 44-year history. These will be accessible from the Park's current walk-through areas.

The new lodges will be integrated into the four-mile Safari and will sit alongside the elephant and cheetah lodges which opened earlier this year and quickly sold out. More recently, the Park opened two Red Panda Cottages.