Safari in virginia8/8/2023 ![]() ![]() When they were successful, they consumed the food, and then chewed the buckets until they were an unrecognizable mass of white plastic. Instead of eating gently and letting us hold the bucket for them, the camels did their best to grab the edge of the bucket and jerk it out of our hands. ![]() ![]() These humongous critters would bend down and put their heads right inside the vehicle, searching to find more feed buckets. I’m sure they’ve learned through experience that if they can get us to drop a bucket, all of the feed inside is theirs to munch at their leisure! We fed the above mentioned llamas and ostriches, plus many other critters including yaks, watusi, wildebeest, water buffalo, elk, oryx, and more. We soon discovered that many of the larger animals were rough, requiring us to hold onto our buckets for dear life, as they tried to knock them out of our hands. This allowed us to get a feel for what it was like to hold a small plastic bucket full of feed out the window so animals could eat. It was nice that these initial greeters were among the more “gentle” animals. Both were anxious for us to show them our buckets of feed so they could get a snack. We laughed non-stop for the hour it took us to drive through, and then spent the next couple of hours exploring the walk-through zoo.Īs we pulled into the park, we were met by a friendly llama on the right and an inquisitive ostrich on the left. The Virginia Safari Park exceeded all of our expectations, and even cracked its way through my hard shell of skepticism. We never made it to the Blue Ridge Parkway or White Rock Falls! Our plan was to visit the Safari Park right after lunch, then to drive home on the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopping off to hike the short way in to White Rock Falls, which my mother and sister had never been to. ![]() We started off with lunch at the Pink Cadillac Diner, which is another story entirely. We would go to the Virginia Safari Park, where I could decide for myself once and for all if this really was all it was cracked up to be. My sister Noreen and my mother came to visit from Florida, and we decided that this was the perfect opportunity for a family adventure. And I couldn’t imagine a drive through a “farm,” even an exotic one like the Virginia Safari Park, worth that much coin. Perhaps it is because of my accounting background, and my natural aversion to spending money unless I can see a really good return on investment. And all came back excited about what a great time they had.ĭespite these good reports, I continued to doubt. My children went with friends, numerous guests of our vacation rental cabins had gone, even my wife Debbie went with her sister from Texas and her four boys. I must admit, I remained skeptical of the value of such an experience, even though numerous favorable reports kept filtering back my way. The Virginia Safari Park in Natural Bridge proudly proclaims itself as the “only drive-through zoo” in Virginia! That might be true, but is it worth it to pay $16.95 a person for the opportunity to drive through and see their animals? Conservation is fundamental in our daily operations and visitors are encouraged to join us in making a difference on this journey.My personal report on the Virginia Safari Park. Funding for conservation programs is made possible through the continued support of zoo guests. Virginia Safari Park is privately owned and receives no state or federal tax support. Our goal is to assist in the conservation of local and national species by giving them as much attention as we do to the larger, more well-known species. Conservation is important not just for the species in foreign countries but also for many of our local animal friends. Trying to solve the world’s continually changing wildlife concerns, Virginia Safari Park collaborates with other zoos and field experts to support Rhinoceros and Elephant anti-poaching units, install artificial nest sites for wild Penguins, and translocate Giraffe across the Nile to boost sustainable genetics. Virginia Safari Park is one of three zoological facilities operated by the Zoofari Parks Corporation, working in conjunction with the Gulf Breeze Zoo and the Alabama Safari Park to provide aid to over 25 countries around the world. “Virginia Safari Park is dedicated to wildlife conservation through public education, captive breeding programs, habitat preservation, and providing financial aid and assistance to projects in the wild. Here is a paragraph directly from their website regarding this: Virginia Safari Park is a ZAA Accredited facility. We have a deep respect for wildlife and I feel it is important to share their conservation efforts with you. Virginia Safari Park Conservation Efforts: ![]()
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