The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has seen its income increase 53 per cent in 2012 based on figures from the previous year, partially driven by pandas at the Edinburgh Zoo.

Visitor numbers at the park increased 51 per cent on the previous year while the society's other attraction Highland Wildlife Park saw visitor numbers increase 25 per cent.

Favourable weather and a record number of animal births in 2012 are also thought to have contributed to the parks' popularity.

Chief executive of RZSS, Chris West, said: "All of our surplus is invested back into the animals within our collection and into conservation work around the world.

"The financial benefits from the pandas enables us to support many other projects, not least the renaissance plans for the 100-year-old Edinburgh Zoo."