San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Overview
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is a wildlife park and zoo located in San Pasqual Valley, near Escondido, California. It is one of the largest tourist attractions in San Diego County. The park houses a large array of wild and endangered animals from continents such as Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, and Australia. The park is in a semi-arid environment and one of its most notable features is the Africa Tram, which explores the expansive African exhibits.
History
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park started as a breeding facility for the San Diego Zoo, but opened to the public in 1972 as the San Diego Wild Animal Park. The name was changed to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in 2010. The park's mission has evolved from pure breeding to include educational and conservation efforts, particularly the conservation of wild species in their natural habitats.
Exhibits
The park is divided into large exhibits, each representing a specific geographic area. The largest is the African Plains exhibit, which houses species from different parts of Africa. Other exhibits include the Asian Savanna, Gorilla Forest, Tiger Territory, and Condor Ridge. Each exhibit is designed to mimic the natural habitats of the animals as closely as possible.
Conservation Efforts
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is involved in numerous conservation efforts, both locally and internationally. They participate in the Species Survival Plan, a program that works to maintain healthy, genetically diverse populations of threatened and endangered species in captivity. The park also runs the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, which conducts research in conservation genetics, disease investigations, plant conservation, and recovery ecology.