African Safari Wildlife Park facts for kids
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A visitor feeding Bison at the park.
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| Date opened | 1973 |
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| Location | Port Clinton, Ohio |
| Land area | 100 acres (40 ha) |
| Coordinates | 41°31′05″N 82°51′06″W / 41.518089°N 82.851634°W |
| No. of species | 50 |
| Memberships | AZA |
The African Safari Wildlife Park is a special place in Port Clinton, Ohio, United States. It's a drive-through wildlife park where you can see animals from your car! Imagine driving through a huge area, about 100 acres, and having animals come right up to your window. You can even feed them!
Visitors can spend as much time as they like driving around the park. After exploring the drive-through area, you can visit the walk-through part, called Safari Junction. The park is usually closed during the colder winter months.
The park is approved by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This means it meets high standards for animal care. The park works hard to protect animals. They help many species by having special breeding programs. Some animals they focus on include alpacas, white zebras, giraffes, and giant elands.
In November 2019, a fire happened in a barn at the park. Sadly, some animals died. Investigators looked into it, but the cause was not found. The park worked hard to recover and reopened in May 2020.
Contents
Explore the Park: Drive-Through Safari
The African Safari Wildlife Park has two main parts. One is the exciting Safari drive-through. The other is the fun walk-through area called Safari Junction.
Meet the Animals on Safari
In the Safari, you drive your car through the animals' home. You can see more than 50 different kinds of animals living in a natural setting. Many animals will come right up to your car! They are curious and often want to be fed.
Some of the amazing animals you might see include:
- Tall giraffes
- Striped zebras, including rare white ones
- Strong buffalo
- Fluffy alpacas and llamas
- Warthogs with their unique faces
- Different kinds of deer and elk
- Large bison
- Both one-humped dromedary and two-humped bactrian camels
- Big giant eland
The park gives each car one container of special animal food. If you want to feed more animals, you can buy extra food. You can drive around the Safari as many times as you wish during your visit.
Discover Safari Junction: Walk-Through Fun
After your drive, you can park your car and explore Safari Junction on foot. This area has lots of activities and more animals to see up close.
Activities and Attractions
Safari Junction offers many things to do:
- Mombasa Food Pavilion: A place to grab a bite to eat.
- Simba Lodge Gift Shop: Find souvenirs to remember your visit.
- Pork Chop Downs: Watch exciting pig races!
- Educational Shows: Learn more about animals from park experts.
- Camel and Pony Rides: Enjoy a ride on these friendly animals.
- Petting Zoo: Get up close with gentle animals you can pet.
More Animals to See
Safari Junction is also home to other interesting creatures:
- An American alligator
- A colorful red river hog
- Hopping red kangaroos
- Slow-moving tortoises
- A playful gibbon on its own island
