Safari allows children to experience exotic animals up close and personal

Aundrea Thurston, 8, feeds a Sicilian donkey at the Wild Wilderness Safari on Friday. The donkey’s colt stands by. Photos by Randy Moll
Aundrea Thurston, 8, feeds a Sicilian donkey at the Wild Wilderness Safari on Friday. The donkey’s colt stands by. Photos by Randy Moll

GENTRY -- Where does one go to give children and family members an experience they will never forget? It's not necessary to go far. A visit to the Wild Wilderness Drive-through Safari in Gentry will provide opportunities for children and adults to see a wide variety of animals up close in the petting zoo or just outside the car windows in the drive-through portion of the park.

A brief visit there on Friday allowed this reporter to witness, not only animals, but the excitement of children as they touched, petted and fed exotic animals or took rides on camels or horses. And parents and grandparents were smiling too as they snapped pictures of their children and joined in the fun.

And it's not only a great place for children. Adults -- especially animal lovers and photographers -- like it too.

One visitor, all the way from south-central Nebraska, said it's the best animal park he's ever visited, and he's visited many.

The park is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, including holidays. For more information, visit the park's website at www.wildwildernessdrivethroughsafari.com or call 479-736-8383.

General News on 07/23/2014