This was a cool drive through animal park off I-80. We didn't see all there was to see here--there was a stopping point where you could get out of your car and see some wolves and something else (I forget) and at the entrance they had other things to do, however we just did the drive through part since we were supposed to be meeting Uncle D. and family at SAC shortly.
Our drive through the wildlife safari was quite educational. Let me share...
American Elk were the first animals that we saw. Did you know that their antlers can reach 5 feet across and 5 feet front to back? Each year their antlers are shed and grown back!!
Next we saw some white-tailed deer--including a young one hanging out just beside the road. White-tailed deer can run at speeds up to 36 miles per hour and leap vertically up to 8 1/2 feet.
Sandhill Cranes are easy to recognize with their dusty gray body, long black legs and red foreheads. They are one of the tallest living birds averaging 3 1/2 feet tall. Sandhill cranes can weigh up to 8 pounds and have a wing span of 6 feet.
Perhaps the coolest sight was the American Bison. The largest male (somewhere in the middle of the herd) is estimated to be 6 feet tall at the shoulder and weighing in at almost 2,100 pounds!
The last animal that we saw on our safari were the pronghorn antelope. The males have horns that are "harp-shaped" with one short prong extending forward. The pronghorn antelope are the fastest animal in the Western Hemisphere with sprinting speeds up to 70 miles per hour. They can also run at sustained speeds of up to 45 miles per hour.
How fun! Now off to meet family at SAC!
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