Monday, April 27, 2015

A Trip to Arbuckle Wilderness – A Fun and Educational Experience for Everyone

 

A camel walking right up to the car in front of us.
 
 
If you have never taken your children to Arbuckle Wilderness, they are really missing a cool and educational experience. Located just off I-35 near the Davis, Oklahoma exit, Arbuckle Wilderness is a place where you can drive through and feed the animals that will come right up to your vehicle.
At a minimum cost and half price if you are a “local”, you can give your children an up-close and personal view of many different species of animals. You can purchase a large cup of feed for the animals before you go in and they will eat right from the cup as the kids are holding it.

 

Scimitar horned oryx 
Addax
 
As you drive through the hilly terrain you can see different exotic antelope, such as the scimitar horned oryx as the graze on the green fields or the addax who walked right up to our car.


 
Buffalo
 
Your kids can see a buffalo up-close and realize just what a large magnificent animal it is. The buffalo are not very social animals and don’t walk up to the vehicles, but you can get very close and see what it must have been like to come across these huge animals on the plains years ago.



 
Emu walking towards our car.
 
Emus, with their beautiful feathers will come right up to your car window and eat right out of your hands. The emu, burros and many type of sheep and goats will walk right alongside your car, just waiting for you to stop and give them a little treat.

 
 
What big beautiful eyes!

The giraffe are in a fenced enclosure, but you can drive right up beside the iron fence and the giraffe will actually stick his head in your window and take food from your hand. You and your kids will really get a thrill by actually petting this towering animal and seeing those big beautiful eyes up close!


 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 This beautiful male ostrich came walking up the road to greet us and it was really amazing to see just how large they are. Remember, with those long necks, they can reach from one side of the car to the other and they love to eat right out of your hand! We left our windows rolled up a bit when they came to visit. We were lucky enough to even see an ostrich egg laying in the field!
 
 

There is another enclosure with a white rhino, which is an endangered species. This may be the only opportunity you and your children get to actually see a white rhino up-close. I don’t think anyone has tried to feed this guy and I wouldn’t recommend trying. There was also a rare white tiger, but he was sleeping in the shaded part of his enclosure and we could barely see him.
 
 
 
One of my favorite animals, is the zebra. There were several of them in a fenced area where you could drive your vehicle right up to the fence and feed them out of your hand. I have to admit, I did get a thrill from being able to actually pet a zebra.

Take your camera as you will want to take lots of pictures. For your safety, you are not allowed to get out of your car, but you don’t have to as the animals are so friendly and love to come right up to you and eat out of the cup. It’s not recommended to feed them from your hand, but I have to admit we all did it and no one was bitten. We did get a little slobbery though, so you will want to take some kind of wipey.

I also have to say that the place is becoming a little run down. Their signs need painting and the road is in need of repair. Regardless, this is one of the best places I have been to where you can see, feed and touch animals that many people will never get the opportunity to do. Your children will have an experience they will never forget!
 
You may also enjoy:

 

Photos all taken by me and not for use without my permission.

 
 

1 comment:

  1. Gorgeous pictures, they are all great but I love the zebra. Well done. I am sorry I live so far away.

    ReplyDelete