Sprawling across over 9,000 acres of former strip coal lands in eastern Ohio, The Wilds is one of the most remarkable conservation facilities in North America. Ironically, what was once environmental wasteland has since become a haven for some of the most endangered species on the planet, as well as a thriving ecosystem for native Ohioan wildlife. I suppose you could think of it as a northern, eastern cousin of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, though stripped of much of the showmanship and panache (and a zoological collection much more focused on hoofstock). Or, I suppose you could think of it in the vein of Florida's White Oak Conservation Center or the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, though unlike those facilities, it is open to the general public.
Officially opening to the public in 1994, The Wilds, along with the previously mentioned facilities (among others), The Wilds is part of the Conservation Centers for Species Survival, a zoo initiative that seeks to bolster species sustainability (primarily of ungulates) by maintaining large breeding herds that can't be held in traditional zoo settings. To that end The Wilds is very successful. You won't see an enormous variety of species there, but you will see them in impressive numbers in spacious living conditions. The results are some of the most spectacular memories I've had of some species under human care.
The walk-around portion of The Wilds is fairly small - the average visitor won't get too much exercise here. There's a small building that displays hellbenders (one of the facility's native conservation projects), a small visitor center, and an overlook of some of the pastures. To see most of the animals, you board an open-air safari bus, driven by a guide, and drive out among the animals. The drive consists of a serious of pastures, with rolling green fields, steep hillsides, tall brush, and lakes and ponds. Which animals are in which pastures may vary from time to time, as animals are moved for breeding access, parturition, and separation, and the enclosures are large enough that just because an animal is in a habitat, doesn't necessarily mean that you'll see it. Nor are the enclosures arranged by geography, as the field exhibits at SDZSA are - you might see species from different continents intermingled.
Rhinos - both white and Indian - and giraffes are the star attractions for many visitors, and are the largest animals present. Also filling the pastures are an impressive assortment of deer, antelope, and equids, with something of a bias towards northern species which are better suited to the Ohio weather. Among these are Bactrian camel, Bactrian deer, Pere David's deer, onager, and Przewalski's horses, as well as the largest (by far) herd of takin that I've ever seen, practically covering a hillside. Which isn't to say that the more tropical species aren't also represented. There are Grevy's zebras and a reasonable assemblage of African antelope to be seen as well.
Midway through the tour, the ride stops at the mid-sized carnivore complex, where visitors can get out and take a stroll alongside pens of cheetah, dhole, and African wild dog, seen either from ground level or from elevated boardwalks. The habitats are enormous, spacious, and modestly-furnished, suited for cursorial species which benefit more from room to roam than mock rockwork and waterfalls. After completing a self-guided loop, visitors are back in the vehicle to complete their transit of the park.
This is the casual visitor's experience, of course, because that's what I was. The facility also offers ziplining, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, and glamping in a variety of settings, including yurts which overlook the vast pasture habitats.
Facilities such as The Wilds provide an excellent resource for zoos, allowing animals to live and breed in quarters and social structures that promote their welfare and reproduction. One could think of these facilities as factories that generate animals not only for other zoos, but for potential reintroduction efforts in the future. Indeed, an animal living in a situation like this probably already has a leg-up on animals from other facilities when it comes to being prepared for future release efforts. Besides that, it's an excellent, encouraging reminder of the regenerative powers of nature, and how even the most desolate of landscapes can become a haven for wildlife, both free-living and under human care. I saw countless (wild) bird species as I toured the facility, from bobolinks darting alongside the wheels of the safari car to bald eagles nesting in trees as rhinos grazed underneath. Such sights would have been unimaginable a few decades ago.
A rhino and a cheetah adorn the logo for The Wilds - but they could just as easily have been replaced by a phoenix.
No comments:
Post a Comment