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The Grant’s zebra at Alabama Safari Park patiently waits for a snack from a driver. (Nick Thomas / Alabama Living)
Visitors to the Alabama Safari Park can expect some animal residents to personally greet their human guests. In fact, you’ll have many eating out of the palm of your hand – literally.
Home to more than 800 animals, the 350-acre wildlife park just south of Montgomery in Hope Hull allows visitors to drive a 3-mile winding gravel road. Visitors can hand-feed some of the free-roaming zebras, llamas, ostriches and other species.
“It’s very safe, but there are rules that should be followed,” said park founder and CEO Eric Mogensen. “For example, you must always remain in your vehicle. You can ride in the bed of a pickup truck, but you absolutely cannot exit your vehicle. We have staff constantly monitoring the park, ensuring everyone follows the rules.”
For the animals’ safety, visitors cannot provide outside food of any kind, but buckets of suitable feed are available for $5 at the gift shop. But with a constant mobile human food delivery service throughout the day, could the animals overeat?
In addition to catering to the daily stream of curious tourists, the park is dedicated to wildlife conservation as part of the Zoofari Parks group, which operates similar facilities in other states.
The slow-moving, gentle two-toed sloths enjoy munching on vegetable sticks. (Nick Thomas / Alabama Living)
“We work closely with other zoos and private breeders around the country on captive breeding programs to build a healthy population of animals,” Mogensen said. This includes Alabama Safari Park’s sister parks, Virginia Safari Park, Gulf Breeze Zoo in Florida and the new Texas Safari Park. “Our collection (of animals) depends upon availability, and proper management depends upon facilities and staffing.”
The park supports conservation projects nationally and globally, as well as native Alabama wildlife programs, by offering grants from $100 to $5,000. Supported projects include the Saiga Conservation Alliance, Pygmy Hippo Research, tortoise population research at the University of West Florida, the International Crane Foundation and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
“We budget a certain percentage of our income to be used toward our conservation programs,” Mogensen said. “We believe that there are habitats and species around the world that need additional funding for their programs, and we are able to assist. Our guests can enjoy the fact that while they are enjoying our park, they are actually helping our conservation efforts.”
Mogensen said the park accepts no donations or state or federal money. “Because we have been doing this for a long time, we have developed a successful business model that allows us to be self-sufficient. We operate on income generated by admissions, feed sales, our gift shop and animal encounters.”
The giraffes, standing 16 feet tall, love for visitors to hand-feed romaine lettuce from a raised viewing platform. (Nick Thomas / Alabama Living)
Feeding some new friends
In addition to the self-driving tour, animal encounters include hand-feeding giraffes with lettuce (available on-site). From the raised viewing platform, visitors can stand eye-to-eye with the tallest terrestrial animal in the world, which, on average, are about 16 feet tall and tower over fellow inhabitants in their native African savannahs and woodlands.
For an additional cost, visitors can feed vegetable sticks to the newest park residents – the slow-moving but gentle two-toed sloths. And in a separate exhibit, Madagascar’s most famous mammals – lemurs – are on display. The park’s ring-tailed and black-and-white ruffed lemurs represent two of the 100 lemur species that are native only to the west African island nation.
There’s also a petting area with goats, potbellied pigs, chickens and baby llamas. At the Kangaroo Walk-About area, the famous bouncing Aussie marsupials can be found leaping effortlessly across the grass, lazing in the Southern sun or tending to baby joeys in their pouches. Barnaby and Armstid, a pair of giant anteaters, are recent additions to the park’s menagerie.
While Alabama is home to several traditional zoos, Mogensen doesn’t see his park as their commercial rival.
Different from a zoo
“Before we built this park we were in close contact with the management of the Montgomery Zoo and have been careful to be an asset rather than competition,” he said. “We offer a very different experience than the Montgomery or Birmingham zoos because our park is a drive-thru safari park. Guests can interact more with the animals and have closer encounters with various animals. It’s worth noting that our organizations are very supportive of one another.”
The region just south of Montgomery was selected for the Alabama park site due to the abundant grazing fields. And with Interstate Highway 65 just minutes away, there’s easy access for travelers passing through the area looking for an interesting detour.
“Our animals tend to self-regulate when being fed,” Mogensen says. “That is why every trip through is a different experience. When an animal eats and gets full, it will tend to move off and settle down for a nice rest.”
This young Scottish Highland cow is gentle and easily handled. (Nick Thomas / Alabama Living)
In addition to daily park passes, annual memberships are available offering unlimited visits.
“We are constantly adding new animals and exhibits and are always planning for the future,” says Mogensen. “A guest should always notice something new with each visit.”
Corporate marketing manager Susan Robichaux gets up-close and personal with the giraffes. (Nick Thomas / Alabama Living)
The Alabama Safari Park is open daily (except Thanksgiving and Christmas). Adult admission is $22.95, with discounts for children, seniors and the military. Admission grants access to the Safari Drive-Thru and Walk-Thru areas for the entire day (receipts allow re-entry to the park). Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last car accepted at 4 p.m. Wagon rides are available for $10 per person.
The park is off I-65 Exit 158 at 1664 Venable Road, Hope Hull. The phone is 334-288-2105 or go to www.alabamasafaripark.com for more information.
This story originally appeared in Alabama Living magazine.
