THE thunder and lightning storms in Cumbria last week did not deter a mum from giving birth in a field.

Whinny, the 14-year-old Grants Zebra at the Lake District Wildlife Park near Keswick, gave birth to a healthy foal last Wednesday.

Keepers were busy preparing for this week’s National Love Your Zoo week (May 24-31) and were creating quizzes and trails that focus on their conservation projects.

But Park Manager Richard Robinson had other things on his mind, keeping an eagle-eye on Whinny who looked close to giving birth.

The foal, whose gender is still to be confirmed, was born during the stormy night on Tuesday/Wednesday.

Richard said: "Whinny is doing a great job, she’s encouraging and protective.  The new foal has very long legs and has done well in its first 24 hours.

"Like all Grants Zebra, it is quite brown in colour, but as it gets older, the stripes will become black and white.

"It’s a known fact that Zebra foals can run within half an hour of being born – our new addition was also pretty quick to get going! Their paddock is large and open so visitors have plenty of opportunity to take pictures this half term which is a real bonus."

Whinny was born in 2000 at West Midland’s Safari Park and has been at the Lake District Wildlife Park for eight years.  

This is Whinny’s second foal. Her first, a colt called Marty, is now a breeding stallion at Longleat Safari Park with his own herd of females.

The park did a swap and brought in a new stallion, Daan, who is dad to Whinny’s foal.

For details of activities at the park visit www.lakedistrictwildlifepark.com.