ASHLAND, Neb. (KMTV) — The Morning Lift takes us to Ashland to pick up Lee. G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park Deputy Director Gary Pettit.
The Wildlife Safari Park has been voted the top safair park in the country in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for five consecutive years. Pettit tells us it has come a long way since the property was first purchased by Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium back in 1996.
In 1996, he says it was mostly cornfields. He was working at the zoo at the time and volunteered to come out because of his experience running equipment. He on getting it ready to open to the public for two years — not taking care of any animals in that time. When it opened in 1998 the zoo said they'd gotten used to him not being at the zoo so he might as well stay out there. The rest is history!
Pettit and his family (his wife is a dietitian at the Henry Doorly Zoo) live on site at the safari park. He says it is kind of a 24 hour thing — dealing with 440 acres of land, animals and guests.
During our ride he also tells us about:
- All the conservation efforts being done behind the scenes with the cheetah and tiger breeding facilities.
- 30 cheetah cubs have been born at the Wildlife Safari Park since the facility opened about nine years ago.
- We drive by the facility and get a close look at the cheetahs.
- The advances in animals care and welfare.
- All the animals that call the park home, along with the natural wildlife attracted to the park.
- We drive right by elk, pelicans and bison.
- The addition if Insects Adventure this year.
- Most of the raptors (eagles, owls, hawks) at the park were injured in the wild and can't survive in the wild on their own. They try to give as many a home as possible.
- How much exposure the park got during the pandemic.
