ONE of West Midland Safari Park's pancake tortoises celebrated Pancake Day with a special treat from its keepers.

The pancake tortoise usually eats dandelion leaves and other greens.

But as a special treat to celebrate Pancake Day, keepers at the Park's Discovery Trail treated them to some slices of suede, layered with vegetables.

Becky Scott, Discovery Trail keeper, said: "We have three pancake tortoises at the Park and they are unlike most other tortoises as they have a flexible, flat shell.

"This allows them to wedge themselves between rocks and its their flattened, pancake-like profile that gives them their name.

"Sometimes, they can end up on their back, but they do have the ability to flip themselves back over onto all fours."

Kidderminster Shuttle:

She added: "They are listed as 'vulnerable' in the wild, due to habitat destruction and over-hearvesting for trade, therefore we hope when people are tucking into their pancakes today, they spare a thought for the pancake tortoise."

The pancake tortoise, which is a flat-shelled tortoise native to Tanzania and Kenya, can be found at West Midland Safari Park's Reptile House in the Discovery Trail.

For more information about the Park and to buy tickets, visit wmsp.co.uk or call 01299 402114.