Keepers share their festive story of what happens at Woburn Safari Park on Christmas Day

While you’re tucking into your Christmas lunch spare a thought for the animals and what happens at Woburn Safari Park on Christmas Day.

With over 80 species of animals to look after across 360 acres of parkland, every day is busy for the team of keepers – and Christmas Day is no exception.

While most families around the country will spend the morning enjoying a lazy festive breakfast, opening gifts or preparing a lunchtime feast, a small but dedicated bunch from the Woburn animal team will be up and hard at work ensuring the safety and comfort of the endangered and exotic animals in their care.

On a typical Christmas Day the keepers will arrive at the park earlier than normal - just after sunrise - and begin the daily care tasks, known as husbandry. From the big Asian elephant herd down to the small harvest mice, every animal gets the same care and attention that they would on any normal, non-holiday day.

Tom Robson, Head of Reserves, has been working at the Park for over 11 years and has done a number of seasonal stints in that time, including a shift this Christmas Day.

He said: “We head into the park as soon as it gets light and get ready to start the day. We go section by section and do the usual checks for all the animals to make sure that everyone is happy and healthy and fed their breakfast. Then we’ll move on to the cleaning and mucking out which will get us all nice and warmed up for the day.

“We always get the team together and stop for a mince pie and a cup of tea later in the morning so that everyone can start getting into the festive spirit. Then we’ll start to prepare bedding and afternoon or evening feeds for those animals that need it before setting up ready for the Boxing Day team to do the same the following day.”

Tommy Babington, Deputy Head of the Carnivore section of the Park, is coming up to his fifth Christmas working as a Keeper at Woburn. He said: “It's really a privilege for us to come in on Christmas Day. I love it.

"You get to spend your morning with the lion pride and with our two tigers. Not many people can say that on their Christmas morning. Hopefully get away nice and early in the afternoon and all get back for our own Christmas dinner - after the animals have had their Christmas dinners.”

The animals also join in the fun and get to enjoy some treats that wouldn’t look out of place on the Christmas dinner table, like parsnips, carrots and broccoli – with the 12-strong Rothchild’s giraffe herd getting their own festive feast of two barrels of sweet chestnut collected by Keepers throughout the winter months.

Visitors hoping to get out on a seasonal safari adventure are in luck, as although the park is closed from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, it reopens daily from Tuesday, December 27 through into the New Year.