New Attractions Debut This Spring at Safari North Wildlife Park
Brainerd, MN—The award-winning Safari North Wildlife Park is unveiling Expedition Safari. It is 10-acres of animal species specific to the African Safari. Animals featured include lions, hyenas, monkeys, zebras, wildebeest, ostrich, Eiland, buffalo and more. Also new to the park is a locomotive train which guests can ride through the new exhibit. The park is set to open for the season on May 8 and is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Also coming this spring/summer, Safari North will be the only zoo around with cheetahs, which are part of the park’s big cat offerings that include tigers, lions, and jaguar leopards. This large cat, native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia, is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because the global population is estimated to number less than 10,000 mature individuals and is expected to decline about 10% by 2040.
Founded in 2014, Safari North Wildlife Park is the creation of Kevin Vogel and his wife Kelly. Together the two have more than 50 years of combined experience in the field of exotic animals. Prior to opening the park, the couple spent 20 years traveling the Midwest with their petting zoos, camel rides, pony rides, pig races, and wildlife educational shows. Safari Wildlife Park has been named #1 for Best Summer Family Fun in the Brainerd Lakes Area by the Brainerd Dispatch for TWO years in a row (2018 and 2019) and also named #1 Spot for Relaxation in 2019.
The mission of Safari North Wildlife Park is to promote life-long learning, conservation and preservation through safe, affordable, and memorable experiences with animals of all types. The park specializes in up close and personal experiences with the animals as well as important information about every animal including its history, care and the conservation needed to keep it thriving. The park features more than 150 species from six continents.
“Our dedication to our animals is second to none and we are very proud of the care they receive,” says Kevin Vogel, owner. “We see families come back year after year because of the experience we provide them and the animals. We love spreading our vast knowledge of these animals so we can all appreciate their place and importance in our ecosystem.”
Safari North features Animals from North America, Asia, Africa, South America, Europe and Australia. Guests can also feed the giraffes, ride camels and mine for gemstones. Here is just a sampling of other species at the park: Black and Grizzly Bears, Sloth Bears, Tigers, Kangaroos, Leopards, Cougars, Cheetahs, Bobcats, Alligators (more than 30), Lynx, Lemurs, Monkeys (Spider, Howler, Olive baboon, Java, Vervet, Ringtail Lemurs, Ruff Lemur Capuchins, Mandrills, Patas), Otters, Zebras, Porcupines, Wart Hogs, Hyenas and Barnyard Petting Zoo animals.
