Animal lovers have been urged to play their part in building what has been dubbed the best little zoo in Scotland.
A crowdfunder has been launched by Fife Zoo, which is being created in north-east Fife.
Its owners Briony Taylor and Michael Knight hope to raise £250,000 to ensure that their dream becomes a reality.
The zoo, at the former Fife Animal Park at Collessie, is already home to zebras Marty and Jez and has opened its café and soft play centre, Africafé and Sloth Play.
However, a lot of work still has to be done on building the animal enclosures and research facilities.
Briony and Michael bought the closed-down animal park in 2015 with Michael’s parents Reginald and Ann and moved from Essex to begin transforming it.
Briony said: “We have come a long way in the last 18 months.
“We, along with many other amazing people, are working from dawn to dusk to build a modern day zoo which will be home to many exotic and endangered species.
“We have to renovate everything, from a veterinary hospital, animal kitchens and educational classrooms to purpose built animal housing and exhibits for everything from macaques to meerkats and tapirs to tortoises.”
Michael said: “So far we have had no help for the zoo.
“Everything we have done has been funded by ourselves, Africafé and Sloth Play.”
The couple, who are working with renowned zoo consultant Matt Harley, said they need the support of the public to help revive and remodel the former animal park into a world-class education, research and wildlife conservation area.
Donors who pledge a certain amount have the chance to sponsor the Grevy’s zebras, be a keeper for the day, go behind the scenes before the zoo opens or enjoy teambuilding days.
Although the zoo itself is yet to open, the venue has become popular with visitors to its café and play centre and has won a Green Tourism Award.
Teams of volunteers have been helping to develop the site and students on animal-related courses have benefited from working with the centre.
Major projects still to be conducted include renovating a third building to house animal feed preparation and stores, veterinary hospital rooms, a staff room and offices.
The zebra house was completed in time for Marty and Jez’s arrival in March, but other animal houses, which it is proposed will be purpose-built, natural habitats and include walk-through exhibits, are still to be constructed.
The zoo will be a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), allowing it to participate in breeding programmes.
There are only around 2,800 Grevy’s zebras left in the world and Marty and Jez came from West Midlands Safari Park as part of the European Endangered Species Programme.
