Celebrities in the world of animal conservation are to celebrate the launch of a Keighley-based charity dedicated to saving rare species worldwide.

Wildlife Vets International has evolved out of the global work of the International Zoo Veterinary Group, based in South Street, Keighley.

Among the launch guests at London Zoo will be television presenters Kate Humble, co-presenter with Bill Oddie of BBC's Spring Watch, Steve Leonard, Stephen Backshall and Saba Douglas-Hamilton.

They will meet the Keighley-based vets Andrew Greenwood and David Taylor, pioneers of wildlife veterinary work.

Mr Greenwood, of Oxenhope, near Keighley, and Mr Taylor, who originates from Rochdale, have spent more than 30 years building up their reputation.

Their base in Keighley is the only veterinary practice in the country dealing exclusively with wild animals.

They also have links with Shearbridge Veterinary Centre in Bradford.

Penny Cusdin of the IZVG, said the aim was to provide a pool of top wildlife vets who could be dispatched to conservation projects throughout the world, at a moments notice.

She said: "Many organisations struggle to fund specialists vets because many do the work on a voluntary basis.

"We will be paying vets so we can pick the right person for the job and supply them just when they are needed."

Each project was expected to cost anything between £4,000 and £10,000.

The establishment of charitable status did mean the organisation could apply for financial help from charitable funds, but there were so few in the wildlife field that most of the funds would have to come from donations. It would also enable them to establish longer term connections with conservation groups which might need support over a number of years, she added.

This year had seen a number of vets being dispatched to support conservation projects.

They had been out to the Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam, this summer, to instruct vets in how to use a special gas anaesthetic machine devised by the group.

It was used in the project to save the Golden Headed Langur - less than 50 are still in existence - and the Delacours Langur, which number about 280. IZVG vet John Lewis was also dispatched to Sumatra, earlier this year, armed with the same device and used in the programme to catch and collar the rare Sumatran Tiger. The device helps animals recover quicker than using conventional methods in which drugs are given to bring animals round from being anaesthetised. The charity launch will take place at the Mappin Pavilion at London Zoo on Tuesday evening. It is being backed by the Zoological Society of London.