At America’s best wildlife and safari parks, visitors can get a really close and personal experience with exotic and endangered animals of the country and across the world. These parks focus on the conservation of animals and also educate the visitor about the animal, its life, and its habitats. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums have even accredited many of these parks. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular Wildlife Parks in America.
Wildlife Safari
Opened in October 1972 in Winston, Oregon, the park covers an area of 615 acres. It is a home to hundreds of animals that guests can see by driving along the 4.5 mile road.
Visitors can stop and take pictures of the animals along the way. The safari park does separate free-roaming animals from the protected contact animals, including elephants, hippos, tigers, cheetahs, lions, and bears.
The safari village consists of a restaurant, a playground, train rides, and a gift shop. The newly added ‘Wells Fargo Australian Walkabout’ exhibit takes the guests into Australia to view Wollaroos, Emus, and black swans.
The Houston Zoo
The Houston Zoo has visitations of 2.1 million people every year, and it is the second most visited zoo in America. The opening of the zoo took place in September 1922. It contains more than 6,000 animals from 900 species and covers an area of 55 acres.
The Houston Zoo’s most ambitious project is the African Forest, officially inaugurated in December 2010. It houses several African species, including the White Rhinoceros, the Ostrich, Chimpanzees, the Masai Giraffe, and the Western Lowland Gorilla. Apart from this, the zoo hosts one of the largest collections of birds such as the Congo Peafowl, Green Winged Macaw, Micronesian Kingfisher, and the Mariana Fruit Dove. They also boast of the Wortham World of Primates, which displays the rare and endangered primates in a natural setting. The primates include Monkeys, Lemurs, Orangutans, and Gibbons. Other attractions include the reptile and amphibian house, the bughouse, the Texas Wetlands, and a children’s zoo.
Cameron Park Zoo
Here visitors can see the diverse collection of over 1,731 animals from 300 different species worldwide. Located in Waco, Texas, it spans 52 acres and first opened its gates in 1993.
Cameron Parks’ attractions include Lemur Island, a large reptile house, an African Lion display, and the Brazos River Country, a large seawater reef aquarium exhibiting native Texas species. The newest addition of the ‘Asian Forests’ in 2009 has increased and expanded the collection of animals, including endangered species of Komodo Dragons and orangutans, and the Sumatran Tiger.
Cordwell Zoo
The Cordwell Zoo is not only accredited by the association of Zoos and Aquariums, but it is also a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. David ‘King’ Cordwell and his wife initially ran the zoo as they would buy animals for their children’s enjoyment. They officially opened it in 1953, and by the year 1967, it featured more than 500 animals coming from 87 different species.
Over the years, a lot of improvements and additions have been made. The zoo now houses reptile and aquarium sections and African exhibits with large pastures. It also has a wild bird walkabout with almost 400 Cockatiels and Parakeets.
In 2002, they completed a new veterinary hospital, brooding areas, and facilities for quarantine.
Final Thoughts on Wildlife Parks in America
The above mentioned are only a few of the wildlife parks in America that you can visit. Ultimately, there are so many more in various states across the nation. You don’t have to go to Africa to have a look at the pride of lions or herd of elephants when all of these animals can be viewed and observed inside the United States itself.
