Wildlife Safari facts for kids
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| Date opened | October 1972 |
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| Location | 1790 Safari Road Winston, Oregon, U.S. |
| Land area | 615 acres (249 ha) |
| Coordinates | 43°08′30″N 123°25′35″W / 43.1417°N 123.4265°W |
| No. of animals | Over 600 |
| No. of species | Over 100 |
| Memberships |
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Wildlife Safari is a special animal park in Winston, Oregon, USA. It's a "drive-through" safari and a regular zoo. This means you can drive your own car through large areas to see animals up close!
The park has 615-acre (249 ha) of fields where animals roam. These areas are split into different parts of the world, like Africa, Asia, and the Americas. You'll see many large animals with hooves, such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes, and elephants. You can also spot big birds like cranes and ratites. As you drive, you'll pass natural-looking homes for bears, cheetahs, lions, and tigers.
Wildlife Safari also has a "Safari Village." This area is free to explore on foot. It has a petting zoo where you can meet friendly animals. You might even get to ride a camel during certain times of the year! The village also has reptile exhibits, aviaries (big bird houses), and walking paths with smaller animals. Wildlife Safari is the only place in Oregon with African elephants and maned wolves (as of 2021).
The safari has been a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1986. This is a group that makes sure zoos take good care of their animals. Wildlife Safari is one of the few privately owned zoos in the AZA. In 2021, it also got a special award from the Zoological Association of America.
Contents
Park History: How it Started
Frank Hart, who often visited Africa, created this safari park. It first opened in October 1972. Back then, it was called "World Wildlife Safari."
On June 9, 1974, the name changed to just "Wildlife Safari." This was to avoid confusion with the World Wildlife Fund, which is a different group. In 1980, Wildlife Safari became a non-profit organization. This means it uses its money to help animals and the park, not to make a profit for owners. The Safari Game Search Foundation now helps oversee the park.
Meet the Animals: Park Residents
Wildlife Safari is home to many amazing animals from different parts of the world.
Animals from Africa
- African bush elephant (Loxodonta a. africana) — These big elephants are not in the drive-through area.
- Ankole-Watusi cattle (Bos taurus) — Cattle with huge horns.
- Burchell’s zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) — Zebras with their famous stripes.
- Common eland (Taurotragus oryx) — A very large type of antelope.
- Dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) — Camels with one hump.
- Reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata) — The tallest animals on land.
- River hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) — These large water animals are not in the drive-through.
- Scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) — An antelope with long, curved horns, not in the drive-through.
- South African ostrich (Struthio camelus) — The biggest birds in the world.
- Southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium s. simum) — Large rhinos with wide mouths.
- White-bearded wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) — Also known as gnus, famous for their migrations.
Animals from the Americas
- American black bear (Ursus americanus) — These bears are not in the drive-through area.
- Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) — Wild sheep from North Africa, but also found in some parts of the Americas.
- Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) — Large brown bears, not in the drive-through area.
- Guanaco (Lama guanicoe) — Relatives of llamas, from South America.
- Plains bison (B. bison bison) — Large American mammals, sometimes called buffalo.
- Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) — A large type of deer.
- Western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata) — A turtle native to western North America.
Animals from Asia and Australia
- Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) — A type of antelope from India.
- Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) — The second-largest bird in the world, from Australia.
- Fallow deer (Dama dama) — Deer with wide, flat antlers.
- Greater rhea (Rhea americana) — Large flightless birds from South America.
- Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) — The largest Asian antelope.
- Sika (Cervus nippon) — A deer native to East Asia.
- White-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) — A type of ape known for its loud calls.
- White-naped crane (Antigone vipio) — A large crane from East Asia.
- Yak (Bos grunniens) — Long-haired cattle from the Himalayas.
Other Fun Places to Visit
The Safari Village has more than just animal exhibits. You can also find a narrow gauge railroad for rides. There are places to eat like the Safari Grill and a Gift Shop to find souvenirs. The village area is set up like a traditional zoo with smaller exhibits.
A newer part of the Safari Village is the Wells Fargo Australian Walkabout exhibit. Here, you can walk right into the area with wallaroos, black swans, and emus. There's also a Budgie Aviary where you can see many colorful parakeets.
Helping Animals: Conservation Efforts
Wildlife Safari is famous for its cheetah breeding program. As of July 2021, they have helped 231 cheetah cubs be born! These cubs are sent to other zoos that are approved by the AZA. This helps make sure cheetahs continue to thrive.
Some animal rights groups even support Wildlife Safari. They say the park provides great care and conditions for its animals.
