What to expect at San Diego Zoo Safari Park Eventually it opened its doors to visitors. Located about 30 miles from the San Diego Zoo, the Safari Park (originally called the San Diego Wild Animal Park) used to supply animals to the Zoo, but was not itself a tourist destination, only a conservation center. The Safari Park, founded as a place to study, rehabilitate, and breed animals in environments similar to their native habitats, is truly enormous. (Disclosure: Four tickets were provided to us by the San Diego Zoo public relations department.) Our party of seven included three kids between 9 and 12 years old and four adults, two of whom are active seniors. but visitors in the park may remain until 6.This winter, during a 3-day vacation in San Diego, we spent one entire day in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The park, 30 miles north of San Diego and five miles southeast of Escondido on State 78, will open every morning at 9. all have been imported for their own protection.Īnd mixed in with them are native chipmunks, having a feast at the daily fresh feed, bobcats, mule deer, an occasional skunk and, according to the train’s commentator, a mountain lion that comes through the more remote regions of the park about once a week. There were exotic, rare and endangered species - addax, blackbuck, eland, gnu, gaur, gazelle, giraffe, impala, kudu, lion, nilgai, rhino, springbock and zebra - some in pairs, some in families, some in herds. The first car of the electric train, filled with the honor guests, broke through ribbons and clouds of balloons to take visitors on the five-mile continuous view of animals from various parts of the world. “I hope you appreciate the extra shower,” Borthwick said “That water costs about 20 cents a quart all the way from Lake Wohlford.” then a sprinkler head because a geyser, briefly spraying dozens of guests. “I commend your courage and imagination in developing this conservation program that will be greatly educational for all,” he said.ĭuring Borthwick’s brief remarks, the clock struck noon with 12 loud bongs, forcing him to pause. Mayor Wilson, on of three mayors present, praised the zoo for developing the park. “That’s how much faith I had in this project.” The agreed price for the rhinos was $100,000.īill Burrud, a producer of animal documentary films for television, was master of ceremonies. “We shook hands on it and never exchanged any kind of paper, he said. Charles Schroeder zoo director, and Anderson Borthwick, board president, on the spot. Player, one of the speakers in the dedication ceremonies, told the audience he was so delighted with the possibilities when e first saw the site more than two years ago that he made an oral agreement for the sale of the rare rhinos with Dr. No one can visit this wilderness threshold without experiencing a spiritual uplift.”
This park is brilliant in its conception and execution. “I am a religious man,” he said, “and my religion is of the wilderness. Members of the zoo board of trustees, government officials and dedication speakers sat under white tents at a table on the bridge overlooking the pool.īeyond, across an umbrella-dotted terrace, lay the rolling hills of the 1,800 park at San Pasqual, with 600 acres developed for display of the wild animal collection.įor Ian Player, the Republic of South Africa chief conservator and the man who captured the 20 white rhinos brought to the South African Plains exhibit at te park more than a year ago it was almost a homecoming. Guests ate lunch at long tables under thatch umbrellas or on the shaded walkway wh1le Carol, the painting elephant, took a bath with the aid of trainer Joan Embrey. yesterday to mark the dedication ceremony. Lena, an elephant, with trainer Pat Derby on her trunk, charged through a paper bull’s-eye at the visitors’ gate at 11 a.m.
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