Friday, Apr. 22 - When were were here in the Spring of 2006, they had just opened OUT OF AFRICA WILDLIFE PARK just a few miles from TT Verde Valley. We did not go at that time, thinking it probably was not yet fully established.
[Note: $5.00 Off coupon available at the Cottonwood Visitor Center.]
But this Friday morning, Ken and I took Julie with us to visit the Wildlife Park.
When we first arrived, we rode a shuttle around the Non-Predator section of the park.
Everyone was given a carrot stick to feel the Giraffes. Julie snapped this amazing picture!
The guide said the Giraffe below is the same age as the other; however, it was born with extra skin. Observe the wrinkles which make it look like an OLD Giraffe! (If you click on the picture, it may enlarge so you get a better view of the wrinkles.)
The following animals look much the same, but they are obviously different species! Notice the horns curved to the back.
Fancy long curvy horns.
Absolute straight horns in front; spiraled horns in back.
There was a small herd of Zebras.
When the shuttle took us back to the starting point, we boarded a tram which carried us around the Predator section of the Park.
About that time we were getting hungry. We went to the Tiger Splash and ate while we watched the show. The workers indicated they do not train the Tigers. They work with the Tigers but let them behave naturally. They never know what will happen during the show.
They teased the Tigers with big balloons.
Sometimes they threw the balloons into the pool, trying to get the Tiger to jump in. Here the Tiger did not actually jump into the pool -- he stepped on the worker's head on his way in!
Then they threw a balloon shaped like a man into the pool. This time the Tiger actually jumped into the pool as it attacked the man!!
After the Tiger Splash we went to the Snake Show. They had two huge snakes with which they allowed the audience to get up close and personal!
I was just like one of the kids -- I had to touch, too!
We chose to go to the Wildlife Park on Friday because they only do the Predator Feed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We particularly wanted to be there!! The workers threw huge pieces of meat, or whole chickens, out to the animals to give them a chance to actually be Predators! It was quite exciting!
It's All Gone!!
It was a most enjoyable day at the OUT OF AFRICA WILDLIFE PARK!!!
