Over winter break, my family and I traveled to the Safari Park. Safari Park is similar to the zoo except they let some of the safari animals out in the hills. They have animals such as parrots that will sit on you if you have nectar, gorillas, rhinoceros, giraffes, lions, elephants, and even cute baby animals. There were also some unusual animals such as cheetahs and jaguars. These animals as well as lions, gorillas, and elephants were not let out in the wild. 
Safari park is located in the hills so there are many animals in a secured area covering many acres of land. We took a tram to the hills and visited some of these magnificent animals. There were many baby giraffes that even though they were very young, they still were pretty tall. We also saw different types of endangered rhinos, some that had horns and some that didn't. Some of the rhinos were endangered species that didn't have horns because the horns were hacked off. These hunters believed that the horns have medicinal properties, which isn't true. The Safari Park owns one of three rhinos species left in the world! 
After the tram, we visited some animals in cages such as bats. Bats are nocturnal animals so they sleep all day upside down. Seeing bats for the first time was pretty incredible. As we headed along the trails of the park, we went to the elephants. The elephants were the cutest animals you could imagine. There were so many of them and there baby's were huddled close to the adults. The elephants were playing so well that I thought I could go over there and touch one. 
We continued on our path and went into the parrot exhibit. The parrots were in a caged area, flying overhead looking for people with nectar in there hands. My dad bought us a small cup of nectar which we all shared. I got so lucky that two parrots landed on my hand and drank the nectar. The parrots didn't have sharp nails so when they landed, it felt like a kitten purring against your arm.  |
| Isn't that cute! |
The last sight of the day was the cheetah run. The cheetah run is a 100 meter dash that a cheetah runs along with his companion Miley his female husky-mix domesticated dog. The cheetah was raised as a baby together with it's best friend, the dog. Now the cheetah relies on the husky to show her how to do things. The cheetah was extremely fast. It ran the course in less than 6 seconds. Wow! My mom caught a very short video of the cheetah run.
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What did you think of the cheetah run?
Which animal is your favorite?
Dear Miriam,
ReplyDeleteYou have taken very nice pictures and I think you had a lot of fun. I like the most the Cheetah, very interesting to see this aggressive animal to coexist with a dog. I enjoy watching the animals in the parks but always feel that they are in captivity and wish they would be free. I'm very happy that that your family had fun an d you had a wonderful vacation.
Love you,
Grandma Tanya and Grandpa Eugene
Dear Grandma Tanya and Grandpa Eugene,
DeleteThank you for your wonderful comments. I also feel bad for the animals locked in cages at the zoo but I am also glad that Safari Park has an open area that allows the animals to run freely amongst many acres.
Sincerely,
Miriam
Wow I can't believe how fast that cheetah can run! One blink and you miss it! I was surprised to learn that the cheetah's best friend is a dog--I guess cats and dogs can get along after all. Safari Park sounds more interactive than a regular zoo because you got to feed some of the animals! Were you scared that the bird was going to peck your hand instead of the nectar? I bet their beaks are sharp! Glad you made it out of there unharmed! Love you,
ReplyDeleteElana
@ Miriam,
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific time you had! I haven't been to that park since I was there in the 70s! I think it was called Wild Animal Park. Is it the one in San Diego?
I really loved that two parrots came and landed on your hand. Parrots are such colorful birds, I'm glad you got to see them and hold them.
I was surprised to see the cheetah paired with a dog. It's interesting to see the two together! Did they say what happened to the parents?
The giraffe is always an interesting animal for me to see. As you said, they are so tall! I also love the fur pattern.
Great work, Miriam!
Your animal-loving former teacher,
Mrs. Y♥llis
Dear Miriam,
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful safari adventure you had with your family.
I just loved reading this post and your photos were amazing. We have a safari park about an hour from where I live.
It's called Werribee Zoo. Just like the park you visited it has many animals just like the ones in your post walking around the park.
I have to say my favourite animal would have to be the elephants. They really are gentle giants.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful trip with us all Miriam.
Sincerely,
AA :)
Run cheetah, run! It thought they were comparing the speed of the dog and the cheetah, turns out it was acting as sort of a guide dog. The animal pics are awesome, especially your shot of the lion. And those parrots are so cute! Good thing the staff trims their nails so it wouldn’t wound people they perch on.
ReplyDeleteJordan