Driving Through a Roadside Zoo is not a "Safari"

[Spock]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -long.html

Article on the American woman who was killed in a 20-acre roadside zoo in South Africa. For those that have been to "Bear Country USA" in the Black Hills-it appears to be the same thing, except with lions. She did not follow the rules regarding keeping your windows closed.

A number of attacks there have taken place there recently and the following quote is from the linked article. "In March, an Australian tourist was injured by a lioness after going on safari with his car windows open.

It is not a frickin "Safari" when it takes place in a 20-acre roadside zoo and you have to keep your windows up.

http://africageographic.com/blog/safety ... on-safari/

Interesting article from "Africa Geographic" about the the difference between wild lions and those in the park. A true safari-photographic or hunting doesn't have windows (or even sides).

Interesting that the photos of photo safaris shows a rifle case (for the guide) on the hood.

Mrs. S's biggest disappointment from the trip is that she did not see lions-On our photo safari day in Chobe we saw a dead buffalo , but predators had not found it yet-Guide figured that lions would be on it the next day.

One evening, she was not feeling well so she stayed in camp. That evening we saw 5 lions-first there were 3 lionesses that were heading roughly towards a camp of 4 game rangers-we had just talked to those guys so our guide called them and said some lions are heading your way-their answer was "Yeah, they come through here at supper time each evening.

Then we saw a herd of buffalo and on the other side of that we saw 2 males-we were in a hunting vehicle for both sightings-One had a really nice mane and growled/roared at us-he did not want us screwing up his buffalo hunt. Would have been an awesome picture, but it was too dark and it did not turn out.

The following is a graphic sequence of a lion attack on tourist in Kruger Park in 1975-Very graphic-watch at your own risk.

[a1mamacat]

Darwin effect at it's finest...

[TheConfessor]

Since 1967, there have been at least six theme parks in the US called Lion Country Safari. Five of them have closed. The remaining one in Florida no longer allows cars to encounter free range lions, because the tourists would not follow the rules and kept taking risks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Country_Safari

And then there's Discount Lion Safari, which was the subject of a Simpsons episode.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/35970

Wikipedia's definition of safari is:
A safari /səˈfɑri/ is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to Africa. In earlier years, the trip was a big-game hunt, but today, safari often refers to trips to observe and photograph wildlife—or hiking and sight-seeing.

But theme parks have been known to exaggerate. If the Magic Kingdom were really a kingdom, or the happiest place on earth, why do we all still hang out here?

[Bob Juch]

The woman who was killed was an editor for Game of Thrones.

[silverscreenselect]

It is not a frickin "Safari" when it takes place in a 20-acre roadside zoo and you have to keep your windows up.

t's not a real safari unless you can gun down a helpless kudu or two while you've got a dozen guides surrounding you in case you come across something that actually could hurt you.

[SpacemanSpiff]

Since 1967, there have been at least six theme parks in the US called Lion Country Safari. Five of them have closed. The remaining one in Florida no longer allows cars to encounter free range lions, because the tourists would not follow the rules and kept taking risks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Country_Safari

There was one that opened here in Richmond (actually, Doswell, about 40 minute north) in 1975. I don't think it was ever meant as a long-term standalone item, because it was only a drive-through attraction that first year while Taft Entertainment was building the adjacent Kings Dominion amusement park. After that first year, they had enclosed rail cars that went through the area to see the lions and other critters (and was most welcome because if nothing else you got to sit down in an air-conditioned environment for the 20-minute tour), so there wasn't any possibility of "rolling down the windows" after the first year. The owners (it may have still been Taft Entertainment) got rid of it about 1981 in order to expand the amusement park -- the land use for LCS was as large, if not larger, than the rest of the park.

[silverscreenselect]

This is the "original" in West Palm Beach, FL:

http://www.lioncountrysafari.com/

There are at least two I know of in Georgia, one at Pine Mountain near Calloway Gardens and one near Valdosta. I went to the one in West Palm Beach many years back.

[Estonut]

IIRC, it may have been modern technology that contributed to the downfall of the Irvine park. I don't recall ever having the roadside fences here. Perhaps they were added after my last visit. I do recall, though, that one attack on a customer was "invited" when a young lady (whose window was cracked open) tried to shut it completely when a lion (or tiger) approached, but wasn't accustomed to the controls of the newfangled (at the time) electric window and accidentally rolled the window all the way down.

[silverscreenselect]

IIRC, it may have been modern technology that contributed to the downfall of the Irvine park. I don't recall ever having the roadside fences here. Perhaps they were added after my last visit. I do recall, though, that one attack on a customer was "invited" when a young lady (whose window was cracked open) tried to shut it completely when a lion (or tiger) approached, but wasn't accustomed to the controls of the newfangled (at the time) electric window and accidentally rolled the window all the way down.

The one time we went to Lion Country Safari, I don't recall that any of the lions got too close. My photo op a few years ago with the tiger was enough to satisfy my curiosity about the big cats.

We did have an ostrich come up and peck the windshield a few times . I can see that driving through this type of place in the summer in a non-air conditioned car might not be a lot of fun.

At a couple of the standard zoos we've been too, we've had an up close encounter with giraffes. They are accomplished moochers and learn quite readily that sticking their nose (and head) in people's business is often a way to get some food.

[Estonut]

Doing some quick research, I happened upon this nostalgia page. It has lots of cool pictures. We did not have a fence between the road & the animals, just these huge gates through which only vehicles were supposed to pass.

http://www.yesterland.com/lioncountry.html

[SpacemanSpiff]

At a couple of the standard zoos we've been too, we've had an up close encounter with giraffes. They are accomplished moochers and learn quite readily that sticking their nose (and head) in people's business is often a way to get some food.

And if their noses don't get in there, their tongues will happily go out and get what they want!

A local (private) zoo has giraffe feeding. That's most folks favorite activity, including Mrs. Spiff. But the first time most folks realize how far out the tongue goes, they're a bit unnerved!

[tanstaafl2]

No guns, no windows, no doors.

Spoiler

Just us and the kitties!



Now that is a safari...

[Beebs52]

Actually, the definition of safari includes "an expedition to observe or hunt animals in their natural habitat..."
I guess one could discuss what is natural habitat.

[silverscreenselect]

Talking about safaris: