GENTRY - It's not necessary to spend a fortune and travel around the world to get some great photos of exotic animals in natural surroundings. An afternoon visit to Gentry's Wild Wilderness Safari and a camera with a medium range telephoto lens is all it takes.

A visit to the petting zoo area provides opportunity for some close-up shots of animals from around the globe, many of them with babies. And there are usually animals that can be touched and held, which provides opportunity for photos of the photographer or family members and friends with the animals.

A drive through of the park provides photo-ops for wildlife shots of an amazing number of animals from every continent. Though some of the animals - like lions and tigers and bears - must be photographed through a fence, many roam freely in large open areas just outside visitors' car windows. And, some of the animals are as curious about the park visitors as the visitors are about the animals, making close-up shots easy to obtain.

On Thursday, a Watusi steer claimed the roadway and, after a brief head-to-head standoff with the writer’s pickup truck, turned his long horns sideways and walked past the truck, rubbing his massive body along the side of the truck and folding in the passenger-side mirror as he went. You probably don’t want to get much closer than that!

Whether it be giraffes or zebra from Africa, deer from China, monkeys from Central and South America, a hippo native to the Nile, or bison from North America, they're all there at the Safari and can be seen in a day's visit. And for the photographer, a few hours can yield photographs which it would take a lifetime to capture almost anyplace else.

The 400-acre Safari is open every day from 9 a.m. until dusk. It is located just north of Gentry at 20923 Safari Road. The safari consists of a 4-mile drive through, petting parks and walk-through areas for interaction with the park’s animals. Pony and camel rides operate on a seasonal basis and add to the uniqueness of the park. A snack bar, picnic tables and restrooms are also available.

More information on the Safari and its animals can be found at wildwildernessdrivethroughsafari.com or by calling 736-8383. More photos from the writer’s Thursday visit can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mollfoto/sets and clicking on the 2013 Wild Wilderness Safari set.

News, Pages 16 on 06/05/2013