Marwell’s Zany Zebras raises thousands for conservation

We’re delighted to announce that the Marwell’s Zany Zebras charity fundraising auctions have raised a fantastic £103,560! 

Marwell’s Zany Zebras was an unforgettable summer of fun, attracting hundreds of thousands of people to Southampton and Marwell Zoo. The project highlighted the urgent conservation needs for Grevy’s zebra whilst raising valuable funds to protect wildlife and the local community in Kenya. 

The stunning large Grevy’s zebra sculptures were sold at a grand auction at the Hilton Ageas Bowl in Southampton. The highest bid was for ‘Snappy’, our shark themed zebra that sold for £4,000. Other high bids included the delicious strawberry design ‘Zeeberry’, which sold for £3500 and ‘Gilbert’ who was the poster boy for the campaign and sold for £3250. 

The grand auction was followed by an online auction for the miniature sculptures which raised a staggering £16,010. The highest bid in the miniature charity auction was ‘Savannah’, designed and created by renowned wildlife artist Pip McGarry, which sold for £1850. 

Marwell’s Zany Zebras took over the city for 10 weeks over the summer, brightening up the pavements, enlivening the parks and adding vibrancy to the high street and, most importantly, bringing smiles to thousands of visitors and residents. As a showcase for the wealth of artistic talent in the area and beyond, the fantastic initiative brought together the region’s business, creative and academic communities. In addition, thousands of visitors to the zoo could enjoy a miniature trail of zebras hidden amongst the exhibits. 

All proceeds from the charity fundraising auctions will help support Marwell’s work with Grevy’s zebra and other wildlife in Africa, enabling us to train local conservation managers and expand critical support for community based conservation initiatives. 

Marwell has been working with partners in northern Kenya for two decades, conserving nature and supporting people who depend on the environment. Grevy’s zebra has become the focus for much of this work because the fate of the species and human wellbeing are inextricably linked to the sustainable management of natural resources in this fragile, dry ecosystem.