A CONSERVATION expert at the University of York is planning to run a 10km race at Flamingo Land dressed in this meerkat costume.

Dr Andy Marshall, a senior lecturer in the environment department at the University of York, and director of conservation science, will transform himself into to Mylo the Meerkat to compete in the FlaminGO! 10k charity run on Sunday, March 15.

He said: "The suit is furry, weighs 5kg, and has no ventilation, so this will be quite a feat."

The run profits will go to the Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP), a Flamingo Land initiative in Tanzania, aiming to protect tropical forests through animal and plant conservation projects.

So far, donations have helped to protect populations and habitats of vulnerable species in the wild including the Red Colobus Monkey and the Magombera Chameleon, ensuring their continued conservation in the future.

CIRCLE (Collaboration for Integrated Research, Conservation and Learning), a University of York charitable trust at Flamingo Land have organised the run.

Dr Marshall is aiming to raise £2,000. You can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/flaminGOmeerkat