Although the San Diego Zoo may capture the spotlight, the Wild Animal Park is certainly no less spectacular and, in many ways, even superior. It all starts with a drive out to the town of Escondido (about 45 minutes from San Diego). Parking is $6.00, and admission is expensive, although not as much as the zoo. My family bought the two-park ticket when we visited the zoo two days earlier, and that was a good bargain, as you could just show the ticket and get in. Once you enter the zoo, there is a small plaza with a gift shop on the left and the African Aviary on the right. Now it is on to the animals!

The African Aviary, the first exhibit, is definitely worth seeing, even if birds don't really strike your fancy. One main inhabitant is the odd-looking African openbill stork, a unique species of which the park bred the first captive specimens. This jet-black species has feathers that look almost like quills and a beak that curves inward, meeting at the tips. This allows the openbill stork to feed on snails, it's favorite food. There are many other species of birds in here too, and you need to look for them. Many ground-dwelling birds, such as crested guineafowl, lapwings, and white backed ducks, can be seen scurrying around on the ground, and there are birds in the trees too. A great exhibit, but you need patience to enjoy it. The pathway near the aviary has West African crowned cranes and cape teal on exhibit. The cranes are one of two crowned crane species, and getting rarer as a result of habitat destruction and the dredging of wetlands in its native Africa.

Next up is the Flamingo Lagoon. This has a colony of Chilean flamingos from the South American Andes. There are sometimes babies here, and it is a bit odd to see them amongst their beautfiul pink parents - as they are dull brown! Also sharing the exhibit are some pretty corscoroba swans, as well as cormorants.

After these exhibits, it is a good time to see the park's main attraction, the WGASA Bush Line Monorail. The waiting area is a windy path, from which can be viewed von Der Decken's hornbills and several video screens playing documentaries about the park's history and conservation efforts. Try hard to get a seat on the right side of the tram - that's where most of the animals will be. Also, try to get the earliest ride possible - that's when most of the animals will be out. We went at 10:30 and saw a ton of different animals out and about, many different species. Also, as stated in the park's guidebook, some areas of the field enclosures are left barren because many animals need that (i.e. zebras groom themselves by rolling in dust)even if it's not the most attractive thing. This park was designed animals first, people second.

The monorail tour is probably the best part of the Park, even if it's not the newest or prettiest exhibit here. It may be a long wait in line sometimes, but definitely worth it. The first animals on the 55-minute tour are the elephants. The San Diego Wild Animal Park houses both species, African and Asian. Both have approximately 2-acre yards with grass, trees, large pools, and large rock formations. The Park has bred a number of African elephants in the past, which is an important contribution to an extremely hard-to-breed species. You also pass by two smaller holding yards for the Asian elephants, where you will probably see the Park's bull elephant Ranchipur.

The San Diego Wild Animal Park recently imported a number of young African elephants from Swaziland, which is an important step towards conserving the species in captivity. Unfortunately some misled animal rights groups got involved, protesting because the elephants were taken from a culled herd. After you peel back some layers, this is ultimately a good thing. After years of being critically endangered, the numbers of the African elephant have begun to rise again. In some reserves, there are so many elephants that some of them have to be removed or they would start to destroy the ecosystem. In some cases, another reserve cannot be found to put the elephants into and they must be killed (culling is not simply killing, sometimes culling leads to the animals having to be shot). The babies are spared, and in this case the Park found a wonderful opportunity to bring much-needed wild genes into the captive population, which is dwindling, many of it's members well past breeding age. Hopefully this move, which also gives elephants to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, will help increase genetic diversity and lead to a stronger population of captive elephants.

As the monorail rounds a bend, you come to the big cats - tigers and lions. We only saw the lions - a big tree had fallen on the tiger enclosure due to windy conditions and they were off-exhibit for the day. The lions have a very big yard, reminescent of the scrub country they call home in their native Africa. The Park has Transvaal lions, an endangered subspecies of African lions. This is exciting because the majority of lions in US zoos have no known background or are of mixed subspecies, making them unsuitable for breeding. The tigers also have a lare yard, more forested just like their homes in Asia. The park has two kinds of tigers - Bengal and Sumatran. The bengal tiger the Park has is named Blanca and, yes, she is a white tiger. Blanca was foundin the backseat of a car headed to Mexico, confiscated, and given to the Park. She is not used for breeding - there is a huge influx of Bengal tigers in captivity (they are the ones you see at circuses and the most common tiger subspecies in the world). The Park also has Sumatran tigers, the second most endangered subspecies of tiger, and has bred 10 tigers since it opened.

Finally, it is on to the main enclosures. The first exhibits you see are called the hillside exhibits, probably for lack of a better word, and are on the left side. First are the Grevy's zebras. These started out in the East Africa enclosure, but were too aggressive (i.e biting the tail tips off the giraffes) and so got their own enclosure. These are the largest zebra species in the world, and very hardy - they live is desert scrub country. Next are Eastern kiangs (a type of brown & white Asian wild horse). The Wild Animal Park has the only kiang herd in the U.S. After the kiangs are some rare Somali wild asses (beautiful, very endangered light gray equids with zebra stripes on their legs) and critically endangered Arabian oryxes, with whoch the Park does a lot of conservation work and has helped reintroduce back into the wilds of Saudi Arabia.

Now you will be heading into the Asian Plains. This 60-acre enclosure houses a variety of animals. Indian rhinos are the largest animals here, and very cool to watch. These are a lot of them, and they hang out mainly around the edges of the enclosure, which means kodak moments. Also, the enclosure has a variety of exotic hooved stock, including tiny Persian goitered gazelles and gigantic Indian gaur cattle. The gaurs are the biggest cattle in the world, and very impressive. I was particuarily struck by the blackbuck antelope from India (there are so many feral blackbuck in Texas they are said to outnumber their Indian relatives!). There are other species here, too, including Javan rusa deer, sarus cranes, barasingha deer, and nilgai "antelope" (a species halfway between cattle and antelope). The Asian Plains enclosure is one of the best enclosures on the monorail, and the animals will appeal to just about anyone.

After the Asian Plains is the largest paddock, East Africa (most zoos, including the San Diego Zoo, could fit into this single exhibit). It has a great variety of animals, including many southern white rhinos. The Park has had huge successes with white rhinos, and when we went, there was a day-old baby rhino, #90 for the park. There are also many antelope species, including fringe eared oryxes (only found in 5 U.S. zoos), blue wildebeest, kenyan impala, waterbuck, and sitatungas, which are the most aquatic antelope species. The roosevelt's gazelles were very cute as well. Birds in this enclosure included pelicans, crowned cranes, blue cranes, goliath herons, and vulturine guineafowl. The largest animals are Uganda or baringo giraffes, which usually hang out away from the monorail (you can see them better from Heart of Africa, which provides views from the "back end" of East Africa).

Off to the left from East Africa is the 30-acre North Africa exhibit. It houses beautiful scimitar (simm-itar) horned oryxes, barbary red deer, barbary sheep, and ankole (a.k.a watusi - these look like something you'd see in a Texas cattle drive) cattle. Viewing is somewhat hard as it is situated in a hill you are looking up at.

South Africa, a 90-acre enclosure, is next on the agenda It has a number of antelope and other hoofstock. Reticulated giraffes are here, as well as the massive, black cape buffalo. Hartmann's mountain zebras, gemsbok, sable antelopes, elands, and ostriches can also be found here. The enclosure also houses three critically endangered northern white rhinos. Get a good look at these, because the only other place you'll find them outside of Africa is in the Czech Republic! Vultures are also off and on exhibit between here and the Heart of Africa, depending on when the animals are giving birth (the popular birthing area is right near the vulture's favorite hangout). This paddock can be viewed from two sides, and inbetween the two viewpoints is the Asian Waterhole.

The Asian Waterhole is a 35-acre enclosure designed specifically for shy species. Most are deer species - white lipped deer, mandarin sika deer, muntjac deer, and of course the Pere David's deer. These nearly became extinct, and if a small group hadn't been brought out of China, they would be. Floods and the the boxer rebellion wiped them out. But captive breeding efforts have made it possible to return it to China. Also in the Asian Waterhole are Javan bantengs, the closest realtive of domestic cattle, and the only herd of European bison in the U.S. These are smaller than the famed American bison, and more endangered. They thrive at the wild animal park, however, and despite a ungainly appearance, are well-liked, and one of the most popular hoofstock species. Two side exhibits show Japanese serows and Chinese gorals, shy Asian goat-antelope species.

There are a number of exhibits after this. Mountain Habitat has ibex, mouflon, and tahr, and the monorail stops to let you try to find all of the more than fifty animals in the rocky "where's waldo?" exhibit. Mongolian Steppe has endangered przewalski's horses on exhibit. These were nearly gone from the face of the Earth by the 1950's, and only careful captive breeding and reintroduction has saved them from extinction. Just past here you look to the right and see the large lagoon at the end of the East Africa habitat. One thing you may notice is a line of birds that appear to be sitting on top of the water. Actually, the lagoon has a net strung across it because a number of antelope species in East Africa, including waterbuck, Nile lechwe, and sitatunga, are very adept swimmers and could swim to freedom if the net wasn't there. Look for brightly colored saddle billed storks on the island in the lagoon - you can also view the animals here from a floating bridge in the Heart of Africa exhibit.

Finally you see the last two exhibits on your monorail tour. A large, open yard houses Grant's zebra and Eastern black rhinoceros, and a grassy habitat is home to a family of bonobos or pygmy chimpanzees, our closest relatives.

After all the excitement of the field enclosures, the tram pulls in for a stop by the lorikeets. Note: you have to surrender strollers & wheelchairs before boarding the tram. To get them back, keep riding to the monorail boarding station.

After the monorail tour, it is time to explore the walking part of the park. Start with Nairobi Village. Some main attractions here:

*Lorikeet Landing - a walk-through aviary filled with lorikeet parrots. For two dollars you can feed them cups of nectar. Great for photographers.

*Hidden Jungle - a tropical greenhouse with brightly colored butterflies, hummingbirds, & tanagers, as well as tarantulas, scorpions, leafcutter ants, and sloths. Probably the most colorful section of the park.

*Petting Kraal - domestic and exotic animals you can pet for free. Female deer and antelope (no males because of the antlers), as well as goats and pigs. The animal care center nearby has baby animals that need to be human-raised.

*Mombasa Lagoon - a waterway filled with exotic pelicans, ducks, swans, and odd shoebill storks. A group of barheaded geese roams around, trying to steal food from unwary restaraunt customers, and nippling at zippers and shoelaces.

Other exhibits in Nairobi Village highlight small mammals, including dik-diks, red river hogs, spider monkeys, ringtail lemurs, and spurred tortoises. The fossa cage looked slightly run-down and overgrown, and could definately use a facelift.

Tucked into a quiet corner of Nairobi Village is the Gorilla Habitat, a grassy, moated knoll for a large family of western lowland gorillas. The gorillas were very entertaining to watch, and there were several playful youngsters. A gorilla discovery center had movies and signs on conservation and captive breeding. Near this is the bee eater aviary, a small flight cage for some unusual insect-eating avians.

Across from the gorillas are the gabriella crested gibbons, small lesser apes from Asia. They are very active, brachiating around their large aviary-like enclosure.

Meander down the path and you come to Heart of Africa, opened in 1997. It is made to be like real wilderness, and is one of my favorite exhibits of any zoo. There are no signs here, just like in Africa, so be sure to grab a guide identifying the species at the entrance.

Immediately as you enter, there are giant elands, lesser kudus, and vultures on the right (three seperate habitats),in a woodland scrub habitat. The first two are beautiful antelope species, and native turkey vultures can often be seen stealing the vulture's food from the simulated carcass in their enclosure.

After this, you come to the forest, on a boardwalk from which can be seen okapis, yellow backed duikers, maxwell's duikers, and wattled cranes. The okapis are especially beautiful in their two grassy, treed paddocks, which they share with the duikers. The wattled cranes are an unusual crane species, and there is great close-up viewing. After the forest habitat, you cross into the savannah.

The savannah section of Heart Of Africa has many creatures. The first exhibit is a variety of birds - spoonbills, ibises, kori bustards, yellow billed storks, and South African black ducks. Next are Abyssinian ground hornbills, which are very uunusual, and fun to watch. The park bred the first captive ground hornbills in 1972. Now the path splits into a loop. I would reccomend going to the left. You first see bontebok antelope and white storks, then pass some gift shops and eateries. Finally you come to the giraffe feeding station. From 1-3 daily, you can feed the giraffes for $2.00. This also provides an OK view of the East Africa enclosure. Next down the trail are the cheetahs. The Wild Animal Park has been very successful breeding cheetahs, although I did not see any when I visited. They had a large paddock, and behind it was another view of East Africa.

After the cheetahs, you come a a floating bridge over the far end of the lagoon I mentioned previously. On the left are storks, pelicans, and egrets, on the right, greater & lesser flamingoes in a healthy looking mixed-species flock along with egrets and shelducks. Now you come to the reasearch island, a small base camp with ball pythons and occasionally other animals from the education program. Another floating bridge will bring you to an island with kikuyu colobus monkeys, which are a beautiful black & white primate species. After the monkeys, you go up the trail to warthogs and bat eared foxes, then you must backtrack to the entrance. The exhibit is very beautiful, and you do get a wilderness feeling. The journal instead of signs is very effective, and I would keep the journal as a free souvenier.

One more exhibit is the Kilimanjaro Safari Trail. This shows you the elephants, lions and tigers, but also nyala antelope, tufted deer, and calamian deer. It is a long walk with not a lot to see, and probably not a highlight for little kids, but has some gorgeous vistas and exotic animals. It also boasts picnic groves and a herb garden, where some of the plants are raised to be used in the park's restaraunts.

Condor Ridge is the park's newest exhibit, opened in 2000. It highlights endangered species from the American desert. You go on a trail from Nairobi Village (right by the monorail boarding station), then start out on a boardwalk through the exhibit. Like Heart of Africa, this has no signs but a journal of species. Petroglyphs at each exhibit and in the book also help identify species - match the prtroglyph sign with the book's one to identify the animal. The first exhibits are small areas for a variety of animals - thick billed parrots, alpomado falcons, porcupines, desert tortoises, harris hawks, magpies, ferrets, etc. After a little while more on the boardwalk, you come to the main attraction - the condor aviary. The park helped breed the california condor back from extinction, and reintroduce it into the wild. The wild animal park is the only place you can see condors in captivity, so spend some time here. Near the condors are desert bighorn sheep, which can also be fun to watch. They are most active late in the day. We came to condor ridge about 30 minutes before closing, and they were very active.

In addition to the regular exhibits, the park also offers a range of behind-the-scenes tours. There are two of these - wild encounters and the photo safari. Our family took the wild encounters tour. I found this very fun, and probably more educational than the regular photo safari. This tour highlights the simalarities between animals & humans (it is also less expensive than the photo safari, for families on a budget).

We began identifying animals by pictures of just one part - for example, a giraffe's spots, or an elephant trunk. We then went to the administration building and talked about human -animal similarities: we both groom, sleep, eat, etc. Then came something very cool - an encounter with an animal. It wasn't just a rabbit or domestic animal - we got to pet a springhaas! Springhaas, nocturnal hopping rodents from Africa, and odd-looking - they seem more like a wallaby than a squirrel (their closest relative).

After our "wild encounter" with Kuruka the springhaas, we all loaded up into a flatbed truck and were driven into the East Africa enclosure - yes, into the enclosure! We got to feed the giraffes biscuits, which was thrilling and provided for some wonderful photo opportunities. We also went around and saw some other hoofstock species - including a herd of wildbeest and white rhinos. The male impala were sparring - fighting - and that was an incredible sight. After all of the excitement of East Africa, we got to explore South Africa.

As we went from East to South Africa, our tour leader, Bob, handed us each a human and an animal item. Then we went around and tried to match our anuimal item with a human item that would be used for the same purpose (ex. a track shoe and a cheetah claw). That further showed the simalarity between animals and humans in a fun, easy-to-understand way.

If East Africa was wonderful, South Africa was spectacular. We drove on the service road right into the giraffes. The reticulated giraffes are a bit more aggressive than the baringos in east Africa, and they lay waste to our remaining giraffe-biscuit supply in no time! Continuing on, we drove through herds of massive cape buffalo and odd-looking ostriches, and even had a delay while a northern white rhino blocked the road! Coming back we saw a herd of eland and blesbok antelope, which provided even more kodak moments. The wild encounters tour was an outstanding experience, and I would reccomend it to anyone, regardless of the cost.

The San Diego Wild Animal Park is a wonderful, all-day experience, even if it does leave you a bit footsore. In the future it will only get better. It is, as it has been since it's 1972 birth, the "zoo of the future."