This week's corner view's theme is exotic.
About 45 minutes from us is an animal preserve called The Wilds.
It is run in conjunction with Jack Hanna and the Columbus Zoo.
We took the grandchildren there last summer.
Here are some photos of the zebras, animals which I consider 'exotic'.
You can take an excursion where they drive you out into the fields for one on one experience
with the animals.
We took the open-air vehicle as we had four grandkids ranging in age from 4 to 12.
We have a membership, so I hope we can take the two oldest on the more interactive one.
I forget what this fellow is, but he is coexisting well with the Zebras.
Of course there has to be a gift shop and restaurant.
Actually the food was decent, the view magnificent, and the merchandise good.
I'll leave you with these two guys checking you out.
BTW I live about 40 minutes
from the exotic animal farm that made world-wide news recently.
Very sad that the animals had to be shot.
But one was found on a near-by college branch campus.
The man had a variety of animals that he let loose before he committed suicide,
however 18 of them were Bengal tigers.
Nightfall was approaching and some of the animals had breached the boundaries,
so tranquilizing was not an option.
But having a person, especially a child out playing in his/her yard,
being eaten or malled was also not an option.
The animals don't necessarily drop right there in front of you
when tranquilized.
They can wander off and hide in the woods.
In fact one tiger went berserk on a vet
and had to be shot at close range
as it charged her after being shot with a tranquilizer.
A deputy had to shoot it with his side-arm.
.
The Wilds is only about 30 minutes from the farm,
so had he left them in their cages,
the folks from the Wilds and the Columbus Zoo could have rescued them.
Not all had to be killed, thankfully.
The local deputies were shook up and sickened by this particular duty.
Check out more exotic ideas on Francesca's Fuoriborgo.
Thanks Elsa for the theme this week.
Next week's is dream from Tzivia.
I think zebra's are so cool and you got some good shots!
ReplyDeleteThe animal farm incident was really crazy. I didn't know you were so close.
Yes, I wondered if this was anywhere near you. How sad that the animals could have been so easily rescued if only he'd left them in their cages. The man was obviously mentally unsound.
ReplyDeletesuch a hard part of life to see the effects of evil. i think that the soldiers, police and hospital staff see quite a bit of sad outcomes.
ReplyDeletei suppose that evil should feel foreign to us. like it doesn't belong here.
Love how near you came these animals!
ReplyDeleteBut what a pity about those animals who were freed by this strange guy! I'm not a fan of people owning exotic animals in prisonship. Better let them live in secure terrains in their own surroundings!
Very cool how close you could get to the zebras. Very exotic to me too! xo
ReplyDeleteIt was such a shame what happened in your neck of the woods with all those animals. I enjoyed seeing the zebras!
ReplyDeletei agree that Zebra's are exotic !
ReplyDeletethat is wild about that story happening so close to you ! a friend was just telling me about that a couple of days ago !! scary.
here is mine ... http://bonnie-simple-beauty.blogspot.com/2011/10/exotic-corner-view.html
Such a sorry tale for those animals.
ReplyDeleteI love your zebra photos.
I was surprised when you said that was Ohio. When I first saw the photos, I was certain that you had recently been on an African safari!
ReplyDeleteVery sad about those animals. I am a huge animal rights person and my co-workers thought I'd be mad that the Sheriff shot them, but I wasn't. I totally understand. I am agry that the SOB had the animals and then released them knowing what their fate would be. Last I heard, the survivors might be handed over the widow. Please tell me that isn't true.
As far as I know, no it's not so.
ReplyDeleteThe governor has gotten flack about letting an exotic animal ruling lapse while letting a committee 'research' the best law.
The one that lapsed was not good, but not having any regulations is not going over well with us Ohioans.
Ohio is very lax on all kinds of legal situations and buying exotic animals at auctions is one of them.
That's where this guy got some of them.
He rescued others and then folks dropped off more when they realized they couldn't deal with the animal they thought would be cool to have.
The widow had wanted him to stop with the animals, so I can't see her wanting them. Plus, exactly what the neighbors feared would happen did; the animals got loose. No one wants them kept on that place.
The man had been in jail for a year on a firearms related matter. He owed LOTS to the IRS and was having difficulty with the cost of keeping these animals. Plus they were investigated for negligence, so I doubt she's in a 'good place' to take them on.
They were estranged too.
He was considered quite strange and he had issues with the law and society in general I think. What he did was cruel to those animals and to his neighbors. But he got world wide recognition whereas jsut his suicide would have been a miniscule blip in a local paper.
The zebras are absolutely beautiful! I love Jack Hanna!
ReplyDeleteI heard all about the man and what he did to those innocent animals all over our local news. That was such a sad story. He didn't have to do that to those animals. From the pictures I seen of the animals they looked to be in good health too. So sad....
Reading your words I can't just say "Great" oder "cute".
ReplyDeleteThere would be so much to discuss concerning animals, but this is not the place and I have to run to work now.
Thanks for your comment,
greeting from Germany
Tally
In Italy, I visited a zoo, you drive through by car. Lions, llamas, hippos were at the roadside. My daughter was younger and it was very funny.
ReplyDeleteI am sure it was a great experience for your grand children ... lucky you to have this kind of place so close to your home
ReplyDeletewhat a sad story about that exotic animal farm. I love zebras, they're the most gorgeous animals - just black and white, and yet so amazingly exotic.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a great nature reserve to visit.
ReplyDeleteI had immediately wondered how this would affect you and yours. The whole situation was so sad. And the future consequences can promote more frustration and/or sorrow.
ReplyDeleteThe zebra photos are worth a good grin. And my husband is a giraffe-hobbyist. Saw a few in Africa and he has lots of glass, wood, paintings, photos, and stone giraffes in his office.
As usual, you done good.
I agree it was very sad that they had to shoot those poor animals. I am not really sure why they didn't tranquilize them and find homes for them.
ReplyDeleteI love zebras, they are so weird and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThat whole news story about the animals turned loose and the suicide is horrendous. So the Columbus Zoo now has the 5 remaining animals and the wife of the owner is trying to reclaim her animals ("her children," she calls them). Dangerous and sad!
ReplyDeletei so love zebras, they make my eyes turn all directions... especially in a group they make me feel dizzy.
ReplyDeleteon top of that, like with so many other animals, they just look a little silly, which always makes me chuckle...
n♥
What a great, fun place to make memories with your grandchildren - and a great place to take pics, too!
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed, restful Sunday . . . and thanks for your encouraging words on my blog!
Animals should have rights, everywhere in the world.
ReplyDeletePerhaps not the same rights as mankind, but still, the right to kindness would be a start.
Apart from that, what makes America great is that you have so much space. Room enough for an exotic animals zoo, for example.
The Netherlands are one big cage, for us humans, and for animals. (Though I would dearly like to move, I do like the fact that we live in a very quiet part of the country. Very flat, and very quiet. No zebras in sight for a hundred miles.)
Nicki