WE may all be suffering from the first hosepipe ban in a decade, but animals at Knowsley Safari Park are having a whale of a time in the sunshine.

The recent dry spell across Merseyside hasn’t been a problem at the park, where the assorted animals have flourished in the heat, with many new arrivals born in recent weeks and even more babies on the way.

Top of the pops is white rhino bull Bud, who is responsible for three pregnant white rhino females at the park.

In fact, Bud has proved so fertile he has been loaned to another attraction to spread his good fortune.

If the rhino calves are born successfully towards the end of the year, it will reinforce the status of the safari park as a European hotspot for the breeding of this rare species.

Other huge baby successes for the park include the endangered Pere David’s Deer herd, which have produced 18 fawns, and the axis deer, with 12 youngsters.

Elsewhere at the attraction, there are a dozen new baby meerkats, 10 bison calves, eight red lechwe antelope calves, numerous baby baboons and much more.

General manager David Ross said: “This is a very exciting time, with the patter of tiny – and not so tiny – feet all over the park.

“Looking round our paddocks it’s clear from the appearance and behaviour of our animals that the current warm conditions really suit them.

“We have some very happy animals who are in peak condition and giving a lot of enjoyment to our visitors.”