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The Safari Park opened in the spring of 1973 under its original name of the West Midland Safari Park. It attracted 700,000 people in 2018 and features a four-mile safari drive through. In January 2019 it was acquired by the Looping Group, a French amusement park operator, which intends to "develop the park into an even more exciting family destination".<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-46813530 'West Midland Safari Park bought by French firm', BBC News, 9 January 2019] (Retrieved 13 January 2019)</ref>
Two areas of the park are visible from the railway, both lying within the "Safari Drive Through".<ref>[https://www.wmsp.co.uk/safari-drive-through/ WMSP website]</ref>. Travelling towards Bewdley, the first area is the "African Plains", which most notably includes the Park’s southern white rhinos.
After passing the [[Stourport Triangle]], the second area is "Elephant Valley", home of the Park’s three African elephants. The young bull elephant ''Sutton'' was born in May 2014 and was named in memory of West Midlands teenager Stephen Sutton. Stephen established a Teenage Cancer Trust charity and hugged Sutton's mother ''Five'' as part of his 'bucket list' of things to do before he died. The third elephant is Sutton's aunt ''Latabe''<ref>[https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/west-midlands-safari-park-baby-7256738 Birmingham Mail] (retrieved 11 March 2020)</ref>.
==Possible future station==
*BBC News reported in 2011 that the SVR was "not against the idea" of a new station to join the Park with the railway.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-13546830 BBC News] ''West Midlands Safari Park considers new railway station'' (Retrieved 26 November 2015)</ref>.
*The Express & Star reported in July 2014 that "Plans are also in the pipeline to link the safari park with the nearby Severn Valley Railway. A new stop would be introduced serving the park."<ref>[http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2014/07/05/west-midlands-safari-park-reveal-80-million-transformation-plans/ Express & Star] ''West Midlands Safari Park reveal £80 million transformation plans'' (Retrieved 27 November 2015)</ref>
*The West Midlands Combined Authority's 2017 "West Midlands Rail Franchise Award" report says: <ref>[https://governance.wmca.org.uk/documents/s603/TDC%20Franchise%20Award%20Report%204%20September%202017%20Final%20v2.pdf "West Midlands Rail Franchise Award"] (retrieved 17 September 2017)</ref>
