ZOOKEEPERS from all over the UK went wild for their annual conference when it was held in Pembrokeshire.

The event, held at Folly Farm, welcomed 200 zoo professionals to the 2016 ABWAK (The Association of British Wild Animal Keepers) symposium - the largest-ever turnout for the event.

Zoo keepers gathered at the adventure park and zoo for a weekend of discussions, guest talks and workshops.

TV presenter and veterinarian, Steve Leonard, gave one of the talks for the event and thanks Folly Farm for their support of Wildlife Vets International, of which he is a patron.

Folly Farm actively supports a number of conservation charities, including the Barbary Macaque Awareness and Conservation Foundation.

Thanks to a raffle, donations from Folly Farm, a private member and the ABWAK council, £3,000 was raised for the charity.

The charity’s Sian Walters was presented with a cheque by Folly Farm’s senior zoo supervisor and BMAC Ambassador, Rosie Griffin.

Barbary Macaques are best known as the monkeys which inhabit the Rock of Gibraltar, but many people are unaware that the animals are being illegally taken for the pet trade at an unsustainable rate.

One in three macaques in the wild is stolen for the pet trade, which is how Folly Farm’s own three macaques spent their early lives.

The male, Lebu, and females Vivian and Laila were all rescued by a Dutch charity, AAP and have been at Folly Farm since 2008.

Lebu was confiscated from a private owner, where he was fed human food, while Laila was rescued from a Dutch houseboat and Vivian was found on the streets by the French fire brigade.

The trio are now all part of an organised European breeding programme run by BMAC.