AN assistant warden is putting his experiences at West Midland Safari Park to good use after jetting out to Namibia to study lions.Kash Knezovich getting in some research ahead of his trip to Namibia with one of West Midland Safari Park's female lion cubs.

Kash Knezovich, of Far Forest, has travelled to Ongava Game Reserve where he will chart animal movements and record the impact predator feeding habits are having on wildlife.

Not even strikes by airport staff at Heathrow could deter Kash from his summer of discovery - he eventually caught a flight on Monday after his original slot on Saturday was hit by walkouts by BA check-in staff at Heathrow.

The 17-year-old, who studies biology and business studies at Worcester Sixth Form, is part of an exchange study programme between the safari park and the Namibian reserve. South African Stuart Crawford, who is now head game warden at Ongava, spent last summer shadowing the safari park's head warden Bob Lawrence.