Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies. I told you I would be back with more photos from the Global Wildlife Center adventure. Here are some more.
There are Camels and there are Dromedaries. If you are curious about the differences, click here for a short lesson. (One easy difference: A Camel has two humps. A Dromedary has one hump.)
There were birds, also, although not nearly as many as there were four-footed critters. A couple of Geese (below) didn't seem to mind sharing space and snacks with the long-legged Greater Rhea which shares some characteristics with the Ostrich and the Emu... but is neither.
As we drove, this Greater Rhea was determined to keep up and get some snacks!! They run quite well and have a pretty long stride at higher speed.
Who doesn't love a Llama? Look at these faces! These were so sweet and gentle. They enjoyed eating the treats right from our hands. One even chased alongside the Pinz as we drove while Charlotte held out treats for it to snack on mid-stride!! Hilarious!!
The only somewhat enclosed animals were the Kangaroos. They had a large enclosure surrounding the pond near the main buildings. There were a number of them. Two had Joeys (babies!) and we were able to spot a pair of little legs dangling from one mother's pouch. We weren't able to capture a photo, however, as the mother was turned away from us.
Okay. Some of you (us) are of an age that allows us to be familiar with the Watusi dance (be sure to watch the video)! Others may remember some National Geographic specials which included information on the Watusi Tribe in Africa with extremely tall men and extremely colorful clothing. There are also Watusi Cattle and there were some beautiful examples of them at the Center. They are known for their exceptionally long horns.
The mother below had her calf with her. Beautiful animals.
I believe the next lovely bovine was a cross of some other types of cattle. Sorry, I cannot recall. But it was a really beautiful animal and I want you to see it.
And... speaking of bovine... who doesn't love a bison?!?
Well, Hello, Charlotte!!! Got anything for me?
No luck with Charlotte. I'll try the other rider! Hello!!!!!! Whatcha' got for me? Huh?
Okay. Okay. I'm a soft touch. Have a cuppa' snacks! (My new best friend.) :)
Alright. That's a lotta' pictures for you today. I think there will only be one more round... but it's one I think might amaze you. It should at least make you want to make the trip.
Until next post...
Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!! You just are not going to believe this post... and a few after it to get all of the pictures to you!
I had never heard of the Global Wildlife Center, much less known it was in southeast Louisiana... a mere 4 hour drive away from where I am in southwest Louisiana. My friend, Charlotte B., with whom I have traveled on several "excellent adventures", made me aware of it and suggested it might be a good place for us to visit. We were long overdue for a catch-up and it seemed like a great idea. She is such a good amateur photographer and it was a perfect spot for photo ops! Check out the web site but definitely check out the photos I have posted for you. Most are hers with a few of my cellphone camera photos mixed in.
I will tell you that kids of ALL ages will enjoy this place. We were fortunate our booking in early December happened to be on a wonderful, beautiful day... albeit a bit chilly (which will explain our attire!). Sunshine. No wind to speak of. Perfect. Having reviewed information on the web site, I had booked a Private Pinz Tour for us. You can read more there about the two different types of tours.
Without further ado... please join me on my visit to the Global Wildlife Center in Folsom, Louisiana!!
The main buildings and a lovely statue of a giraffe family. (That will make sense later.)
After loading up in our Pinz (and getting our huge bucket of animal feed piled into the thing!), we headed out to the "savanna"-like area comprised of about 700 acres (with an additional 200 acres in hay for wintertime feeding when necessary). Ahead of us was one of the Safari Wagon Tours which holds multiple folks. I assure you all of the animals know exactly what is coming when these roll onto the landscape!! LOL!! The whole nearby herd arrived en masse for some feed! Yes, there are a couple of giraffes in the picture. The numbers of exotic deer was huge!
There was a sign posted in our Pinz clearly stating that anyone feeding a Zebra would be removed from the tour!! I asked our lovely guide why that would occur? She advised that the Zebras were "love-biters" and they loved anyone feeding them... meaning potential "love-bites" from them. Unfortunately, a Zebra "love-bite" can be rather large, painful, and unwanted! Made sense. Hated to have to not feed them, though, since everyone else was getting fed. Sorry, guys! :(
Some of the racks on the exotics were just amazing. We happened to be there during rutting season... so there was a lot of clashing of racks as we drove through.
While not an exotic, this elk was a lovely specimen. My friend, Charlotte B., enjoyed him until he caught her with his rack!! He gave her a good jolt but she was an excellent sport about it. Just don't think you are "safe" due to your being inside a vehicle. :)
The next photo shows the same type of vehicle we were in (Pinz). It gives you some scale to the animals we were enjoying. Yes, you are seeing a Llama, Giraffes, and Zebras with the exotic deer.
Okay!! Now you know what we are doing. There are more photos for you... some more "up close and personal" than you could possibly imagine. I know I wasn't quite prepared for it!! Stay tuned!!
Until next post...
