A SAFARI park animal keeper was delivered a ring by her favourite feathered friend in a marriage proposal with a difference.
27-year-old Charlie Simpson, who works at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire, was stunned when partner John Stirling popped the question with the help of a lesser crested sulphur cockatoo named Zoe.
John had spent the last few weeks working in cahoots with the other animal keepers, who secretly trained the bird to carry the extra special gift.
Charlie did not suspect a thing as Zoe swooped in and dropped the ring into the bowl in front of her, and didn’t realise it was a marriage proposal until her partner John was announced as a special guest with a big question for her.
John was extremely nervous before the big proposal and said: “I always knew that I wanted to do something with the parrots, as it was always going to be a definite way to get her to say yes! I have been planning this for at least a year. Not telling her and trying to keep all of her friends and family quiet has been the hardest challenge of my life.”
Charlie was absolutely thrilled, and surrounded by her family afterwards she said: “This is insane, I can’t get my head around it. I felt like, is this a dream? I didn’t even have an inkling.”
Charlie has worked at Woburn for 3 years and has worked with birds since going to college, with Zoe as a special favourite of hers.
Zoe has been trained by Woburn’s keepers to bring materials to her nest, with keepers swapping sticks and twigs for an engagement ring, until she was comfortable carrying it in her beak.
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