Sophia Loren pictured with her son Carlo Ponti Jr at the official opening of West Midland Safari Park in May 1973 (Image: Mirrorpix)1 of 23
Tiny steps
Oscar the baby pig with West Midland Safari gamekeeper Kate Payne in 1977 (Image: Mirrorpix)2 of 23
Breakfast time
Wally, the six month old wallaby, with West Midland Safari assistant warden Angela Potter in 1988 (Image: Mirrorpix)3 of 23
Cooling off
Baby the sea lion having fun with trainer Ivan Knezovich in 1984 (Image: Mirrorpix)4 of 23
Flashback
The dolphins at West Midland Safari Park in 1976 (Image: Mirrorpix)5 of 23
TV star
Johnny Morris, presenter of Animal Magic, faces up to a llama at West Midland Safari Park in 1977 (Image: Mirrorpix)6 of 23
Thirsty work
Leila the camel with West Midland Safari Park game warden Bob Lawrence in 1976 (Image: Mirrorpix)7 of 23
New arrivals
These eight week old lion cubs, born in 1985, were given the first names of the women looking after them - Angela Potter, Lisa Walsh, Vicky Kelsey and Gail Angus (Image: Mirrorpix)8 of 23
Strike a pose
The opening of West Midland Safari Park in April 1973 (Image: Mirrorpix)9 of 23
Huge hit
The early days of West Midland Safari Park which opened n 1973 (Image: Mirrorpix)10 of 23
Early days
The stream of cars at West Midland Safari Park days after it opened in April 1973 (Image: Mirrorpix)11 of 23
What's going on here then?
This visitor to West Midland Safari Park in 1978 was given a hand fixing his car from a deer (Image: Mirrorpix)12 of 23
Ouch!
Amateur photographers at West Midland Safari Park could find themselves in a tricky situation if they looked the wrong way (Image: Mirrorpix)13 of 23
High dive
Diver Dean Whitaker at the park in June 1979 (Image: Mirrorpix)14 of 23
On the tracks
A baby guanaco walks past the miniature railway at West Midland Safari Park in 1989 (Image: Mirrorpix)15 of 23
Tall order
Sophie the giraffe with clown Philip Breene on stilts in 1988 (Image: Mirrorpix)16 of 23
New arrival
Stumpy a 14 year old African elephant loaned from Longleat Safari Park in 1984 (Image: Mirrorpix)17 of 23
Heave!
Lions helping the warden in 1976 (Image: Mirrorpix)18 of 23
Does what is says on the tin
Baby the sea lion with trainer Ivan Knechovich in 1985 (Image: Mirrorpix)19 of 23
Early days
Zebras and giraffes at West Midland Safari Park in 1973 (Image: Mirrorpix)20 of 23
Popular attraction
Huge queue of traffic waiting to get into West Midland Safari Park soon after its opening in 1973 (Image: Mirrorpix)21 of 23
Safari
A monkey on a car in 1973 (Image: Mirrorpix)22 of 23
Pride
A lion gets a closer look at the cars in 1973 (Image: Mirrorpix)23 of 23
