Charity run at award-winning Yorkshire Wildlife Park raises £7,000 for endangered rhinos

Adults and children of all running abilities braved a 10k course that snaked around the award-winning park, home to 70 different species including four Black Rhinos- Jasper, Makibo, Najuma, and the latest arrival, boisterous calf Rocco.

The Run for Wildlife event, which took place on Sunday 21st April at the park in Auckley, near Doncaster, was organised by local sports support organisation Curly’s Athletes.

The money raised will be donated to the Wildlife Foundation, a charity based at Yorkshire Wildlife Park and a global leading force for conservation projects for the world’s rarest and most vulnerable species of animal.

The 10k run gave visitors the opportunity to jog past some of the park’s greatest inhabitants, including the Amur Leopard and the African Lion. A record 1200 runners took part - watched by a thousand supporters.

Event organisers highlighted the Rhino as the featured animal of 2024 in a bid to raise awareness of the rapidly declining numbers of Rhinos in the wild. YWP, home to 4 critically endangered Eastern Black Rhinos, works closely with the Wildlife Foundation to protect the vulnerable species.

Black rhino numbers have declined by over 90% over the last three generations. The species has been illegally poached to the brink of extinction due to the demand for their horns.

"We were all really looking forward to this event and we are all so proud of everyone who ran in support of the Wildlife Foundation,” says Cheryl Williams, Foundation trustee.

"Where else in the world will you find a fun run where you have lions, rhinos and tigers watching from the sidelines?

“The event was a fantastic day out with fun for all the family and we are overjoyed by the amount of people who turned up to support the cause.

"This was a great opportunity to raise funds for the Foundation, and to educate people on the important work that the charity does to help protect animal conservation and welfare projects.’“We know that our visitors and the Yorkshire public care deeply about animals and their support for the charity means everything. We are making a real difference to the futures of some of the world’s rarest species.”

Jonathan Frary, manager of Curly’s Athletes, added: "A massive thank you to all of the team at YWP who have worked so hard with us to make this event a great experience for runners and spectators.“We are thrilled to have worked with Yorkshire Wildlife Park to raise money for such a deserving cause. The funds raised will certainly make a huge difference!”

*The Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a wildlife conservation and rehabilition centre and tourist attraction located in Branton, south-east of Doncaster. It opened in 2009 on the site of Brockholes Farm, a former riding school and petting zoo, and features 500 animals of 100 species – and growing.