Exhibits and attractions[edit]
Asian Savanna and African Plains[edit]
Rhinos in the African Plains
The park's largest exhibits, covering over 300 acres (120 ha),[15] are the open-range enclosures. Visitors view various plains habitats from Africa and Asia. Asian Savanna covers 60 acres (24 ha) and displays Indian rhinoceros and several species of Asian deer and antelope such as axis deer and wapiti.[15] African Plains represents many regions and habitats. East Africa displays Cape buffalo, southern white rhinoceros, Ugandan giraffe, several other savanna species, and a lagoon with East African crowned crane[15] The North Africa exhibit represents the Sahel and Sahara and houses scimitar-horned oryx, Barbary stag, red-fronted gazelle, and Ankole cattle.[15] The Southern Africa field exhibits Grevy's zebras.[16] The Central Africa region features a wooded waterhole with an island for pink-backed pelicans, saddle-billed storks, and Rüppell's vultures. On the shores of the lake are bongos, red river hogs, and Vaal rheboks, and other forest animals.[16] A number of smaller enclosures visible only from the tram are home to Somali wild asses, kiangs (one of the world's only captive populations of this endangered wild equine)[citation needed], Arabian oryx, gorals, Japanese serows, black rhinoceroses, and Przewalski's wild horses.
A replica Congo fishing village in Nairobi Village
Species of note in the open enclosures include two subspecies of giraffe, rhinos (the park has the world's most successful breeding program for southern white rhinos[citation needed] and was the only New World zoo to have northern white rhinos), gaur, vultures, markhor, and many species of antelope, gazelle, and deer.
Tiger Trail[edit]
The tigers have three different exhibits, and there is a glass viewing window for visitors.[17][18] After raising $19.6 million for the new exhibit ground was broken on December 12, 2012. The new exhibit is named the Tull Family Tiger Trail after movie producer Thomas Tull and his wife.[19] Tiger Trail opened May 24, 2014.
Tiger in San Diego Zoo Safari Park's Tiger Trail exhibit
Nairobi Village and Gorilla Forest[edit]
The park's Nairobi Village houses numerous exhibits for smaller animals. Among these are meerkats, an African aviary, lemurs, flamingos, red river hogs, and bee eaters.[20] A large lagoon is home to numerous species of waterfowl such as shoebill storks.[20] Lorikeet Landing and Hidden Jungle display feedable Lories and lorikeets, and African birds, respectively. There is a nursery where visitors can watch baby animals being hand-reared as well as a nearby petting corral.[20] Finally, a gorilla habitat houses a troop of western lowland gorillas.[20] A flying fox bat exhibit is scheduled to be built here.
Hidden Jungle[edit]
Located in Nairobi Village, this climate-controlled indoor exhibit opened in 1993[21] and displays tropical African birds and insects.[22] The entrance to the building is a simulated earthen crevasse with displays for stick insects and arachnids.[21] The underground segment opens up to a room representing the rainforest understory, which leads to a second room representing the canopy. On display are long-tailed paradise whydah, purple grenadier, and other birds.[22]
A pair of African lions rest on an overcast day
Hidden Jungle is the setting of the annual Butterfly Jungle event.[22]
Lion Camp[edit]
Opened in October 2004, Lion camp houses the park's thirteen African lions in a 1-acre (0.40 ha) exhibit.[23] One side of the enclosure is dominated by an artificial rock kopje which has a 40-foot-long (12 m) glass viewing window and heated rocks.[23] The path continues along an acacia-studded ravine and leads to a replica observation tent. This has a smaller viewing window as well as a Land Rover for the lions to rest on.
A California condor perches on the giant rock in its aviary
Condor Ridge[edit]
Condor Ridge displays endangered North American desert wildlife.[24] The featured species are California condors[24] (the Wild Animal Park was the key force in the recovery effort for these birds and this is one of the only places in the world where the public can see them in captivity) and desert bighorn sheep.[24] Other species displayed include aplomado falcons, thick-billed parrots, prairie dogs, black footed ferrets, magpies, and desert tortoises.[24]
African Woods and African Outpost[edit]
Formerly known as Heart of Africa, these are two of the park's major exhibits. Visitors go down a trail which replicates habitats in Africa. The exhibit begins in African Woods with scrub animals - vultures, lesser kudu, and giant eland. It then progresses to forest (okapi, duikers, and wattled cranes). The path then leads to African Outpost, which features plains animals - bontebok, common warthogs, ground hornbills, and cheetahs - against a backdrop of the open-range East Africa exhibit. A central lagoon has lesser and greater flamingos, waterfowl, an island with colobus monkey