A zookeeper is preparing to take on an enormous 35-mile trek from London Zoo in Regent’s Park to Whipsnade in Dunstable.

Rosie Turner, a senior Whipsnade keeper, decided to take on the huge challenge to raise much needed funds for her beloved zoo.

Alongside its sister site in London, Whipsnade was forced to close its doors to the public for a total of 29 weeks throughout the national lockdowns, missing out on £26 million of potential income.

Using the zoo’s anniversary as a fundraising target, the 39-year-old is aiming to raise £2,305 to support Whipsnade on its 90th birthday this Sunday, by taking on the 12-hour hike.

Herts Advertiser: Rosie Turner, senior zookeeper, is walking from London to Whipsnade Zoo to raise funds for the ZSL charity.Rosie Turner, senior zookeeper, is walking from London to Whipsnade Zoo to raise funds for the ZSL charity. (Image: ZSL)

Rosie said: “I’ve worked at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo for 20 years, but it’s always been a huge part of my life. I used to visit as a child, I started working in the shop and volunteered as a keeper all throughout my degree and now I bring my own children here. It’s really an amazing place.

“Working for a charity zoo that does so much for wildlife means I feel like I get to make a difference when I come to work. I get to care for amazing animals every day including our giraffes, rhinos, zebra, bongo and bison.”

Rosie will be accompanied by her husband Bob from the Regent’s Park Zoo, past Lord’s Cricket Ground, walking all the way to Verulamium Park in St Albans and through the countryside finishing at Whipsnade.

Herts Advertiser: Rosie Turner, senior zookeeper, is walking from London to Whipsnade Zoo to raise funds for the ZSL charity.Rosie Turner, senior zookeeper, is walking from London to Whipsnade Zoo to raise funds for the ZSL charity. (Image: ZSL)

Rosie added: “I decided to take on this big challenge because I wanted to do something momentous to mark this amazing anniversary. I witness first-hand how incredibly important our work is and the difference we make for so many species on our planet.

Herts Advertiser: Rosie Turner, senior zookeeper, is walking from London to Whipsnade Zoo to raise funds for the ZSL charity.Rosie Turner, senior zookeeper, is walking from London to Whipsnade Zoo to raise funds for the ZSL charity. (Image: ZSL)

“Over the last year, along with my colleagues around the zoo, I’ve been working behind the closed gates of our zoo. With our two zoos closed for so long we lost our core income, and this put our global work at risk

"We are open now and it’s so nice to have our visitors back connecting with wildlife, but we still need everyone’s support to help us recover from the impact of the pandemic.”

Support Rosie to fundraise for ZSL Whipsnade Zoo at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Rosie-Turner-Zoo-to-Zoo