Throughout August, Cotswold Wildlife Park will be hosting their annual Rhino Month.

The month is designed to teach visitors more about the endangered animals, the things that threaten them in the wild and conservation efforts across the world.

Assistant curator Hayley Mullaney said: “Keepers will be doing a daily talk throughout the month near the Rhino Paddock about these magnificent animals, the threats and the conservation work that is going on to try and protect them for future generations.”

Hayley heads up the large mammals section of the park, which includes the five white rhinos.

With three adults and two calves, the park plays an important role in the breeding of the endangered species, of which only a few thousand remain in the wild.

To help with conservation the park supports the charity Tusk, and money raised throughout the month is sent to their projects in Africa.

“The park’s director Reggie Heyworth is heavily involved with the charity,” explained Hayley.

“Tusk run projects in Africa to help rhinos in the wild, working alongside the communities out there.”

Rhino Month runs from Thursday 1st right through to Saturday 31st August, and Hayley hopes visitors to the park will take on the information and give their support to the conservation efforts.

“Seeing the rhinos in front of the Manor House is one of our most iconic sights,” she added.

“It can be hard to grasp the issues they face in the wild, but when audiences can hear them from a keeper with the animal right next to the them it’s very impactful.”

For more information visit www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk