West Coast Game Park Safari
Encyclopedia
The West Coast Game Park Safari is a walk-through safari park
in Bandon, Oregon
. It opened in 1968, and includes snow leopard
s, lion
s, Bengal tiger
s, emu
, capybara
, and cougars.
The park is a petting zoo
and captive breeding
program, including endangered species
such as the snow leopard
. They sell and loan big cats to other parks and zoos.
In 1985, Bob Tenney, the park owner, stated the game park received 60,000 visitors per year.
American black bear
s from the game park were bought in 2001 and 2002 by Baylor University
in Texas, as their mascot is the Baylor Bears
.
Oregon competition to the West Coast Game Park Safari comes from Wildlife Safari
in Winston
.
Safari park
A safari park, sometimes known as a wildlife park, is a zoo-like commercial tourist attraction where visitors can drive in their own vehicles or ride in vehicles provided by the facility to observe freely roaming animals...
in Bandon, Oregon
Bandon, Oregon
- Economy :Like many communities on the Oregon coast, Bandon had significant fishing and timber industries, which were greatly diminished by the 1980s, though some remnants still exist. Bandon's current economy revolves around wood products, fishing, tourism, and agriculture...
. It opened in 1968, and includes snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s, lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s, Bengal tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
s, emu
Emu
The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
, capybara
Capybara
The capybara , also known as capivara in Portuguese, and capibara, chigüire in Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador ronsoco in Peru, chigüiro, and carpincho in Spanish, is the largest living rodent in the world. Its closest relatives are agouti, chinchillas, coyphillas, and guinea pigs...
, and cougars.
The park is a petting zoo
Petting zoo
A petting zoo features a combination of domestic animals and some wild species that are docile enough to touch and feed. In addition to independent petting zoos, also called children's farms or petting farms, many general zoos contain a petting zoo...
and captive breeding
Captive breeding
Captive breedingis the process of breeding animals in human controlled environments with restricted settings, such as wildlife reserves, zoos and other conservation facilities; sometimes the process is construed to include release of individual organisms to the wild, when there is sufficient...
program, including endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
such as the snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
. They sell and loan big cats to other parks and zoos.
In 1985, Bob Tenney, the park owner, stated the game park received 60,000 visitors per year.
American black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
s from the game park were bought in 2001 and 2002 by Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
in Texas, as their mascot is the Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears refers to the sports teams of Baylor University. Baylor's men's sports teams are nicknamed the Bears, and some women's teams are nicknamed the Lady Bears. Student athletes participate in the NCAA's Division I, and Baylor is the only private school in the Big 12 Conference...
.
Oregon competition to the West Coast Game Park Safari comes from Wildlife Safari
Wildlife Safari
Wildlife Safari is a safari park in Winston, Oregon, United States. It is home to more than 500 animals that wander freely over the park, which guests can drive through. The park also includes a walk through Safari Village that is home to some of the park's smaller animals...
in Winston
Winston, Oregon
Winston is a city in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 4,613 at the 2000 census. It is home to Wildlife Safari.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
.