A Little Bit of Africa in Arizona by Paula Mchugh
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THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 22, Number 41 Thursday, October 19, 2006 A Little Bit of Africa in Arizona by Paula McHugh Prayeri and Dean Harrison, founders of the 104-acre Out of Africa, Phoenix’ loss is Camp Verde’s gain as visitors can enjoy a live by the philosophy of the Golden Rule when caring for special day with lions and tigers, bears and more the animals. Behind them is one of two giraffes that (oh my!) at Out of Africa Wildlife Park. roam the expansive Serengeti area of the park. Yes, there are bears in the high desert mountains of Arizonians have been familiar with the Harrison’s of Arizona. In North Central Verde Valley, one can count wildlife park, formerly situated on Indian land near on up close encounters with black bears. Add lions, Fountain Hills, just outside Phoenix. School chil- tigers, panthers, hyena, giraffes and zebra, too. dren and visitors of all ages have had an opportuni- Camp Verde, Arizona is the new home of Out of Africa ty to experience a one-of-a-kind park where animals Wildlife Park, a refuge with soul run by husband from different parts of the globe find the habitat of and wife team Dean and Prayeri Harrison. Thousands the high desert much to their liking. Visitors to Out of Africa Wildlife Park come with curios- ity, and leave with a sure sense of the Harrison’s devotion to caring for and deeply respecting every one of their adopted brood. The 104-acre park allows ample room for carnivores and herbivores to roam, while we visitors, predators to the big cats, can get close enough to linger, shoot them on film, and feel safe doing so. For those of us who might have wanted to take an African safari but know that that dream is not in our future, a trip to Out of Africa is the just the ticket. Or maybe even better, because the animals at this Arizona Park have a very personal rela- tionship with the Harrison’s and their staff, and it shows. The animals at the Arizona park have a very personal relationship with the Harrison’s and their staff, and it shows. Pictured here is Dean Harrison and Java. (photo courtesy of Out of Africa Wildlife Park) Africa Continued on Page 2 THE Page 2 October 19, 2006 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.thebeacher.com/ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by TM Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also Subscription Rates delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. 1 year $28 6 months $16 3 months $10 1 month $5 Africa Continued from Page 1 waiting for a hand to feed him. And with plenty of hands Trained staff knows the animals’ personalities: at the ready, Kiba unrolls his yardstick-long tongue which and when staff can approach, pet, touch, tick- oh-so-gracefully, gobbling up enough veggie snacks to le, soothe, or feed. The Harrison’s philosophy is about keep his tummy filled all day. Kiba is the tamest submission to the needs of their animals. It’s all animal we visitors would encounter in the Serengeti. about empathy, or seeing from the animals’ view- The others, while appearing non-troublesome, could point. Most all of the wildlife has names that trans- do some damage according to our driver and guide, late one way or another into “peace.” Mark. …Such as the zebras, which Mark warned have teeth that could cause a nasty bite. The zebras and wilde- beests approached our bus for treats, too. And since I happened to be sitting directly behind Mark at the wheel, I got a first-hand look at a zebra’s Whitestrip- deprived choppers. The animals, familiar with Mark and his bus, walked directly to the door but stopped short of climbing aboard. Thank goodness. The animals, familiar with Mark and his Our Serengeti Safari guide Mark gave us an up close and bus, walked personal look at giraffes, zebras and wildebeests. directly to the door but The two biggest attractions at the park are the stopped short Serengeti Safari and the Wildlife Preserve tour. Photo of climbing hounds and safe thrill seekers can enjoy a ride in an aboard. From where I sat, I open-air vehicle where the wildlife will walk right up got a first-hand to the bus. Handed a supply of carrot sticks before board- look at a ing, we on safari do not have to travel far into the bush zebra’s Whitestrip- before Keba, a young and opportunistic giraffe, plods deprived over to our bus for treat time. Kiba’s cloud-sweeping, choppers. graceful neck dips low. He pokes his face into the bus, The pleated horns of the wildebeest looked like they On the Serengeti could do some damage, confirmed by our guide. Mark Safari, visitors explained that when he and other staff walk in the encountered Serengeti for routine tasks, they have to cover for one Kiba, who unrolls his another—so that if their back is turned to one of yardstick-long these predators, they can be cautioned to take cover. tongue oh-so- Yet for us visitors, the most “dangerous” thing we had gracefully, gobbling up to contend with was the long pink tongue of Kiba, want- enough veggie ing a carrot or two, or seventeen. When the treats were snacks to keep all gone, the giraffe meandered off to a manzanita or his tummy filled all day. sawtooth bush for more greens. Mark explained that the land in Camp Verde grows vegetation very sim- ilar to what these animals are accustomed to within the African plains. THE October 19, 2006 Page 3 Open ‘til 6 p.m. Evenings www.littlehousefashions.comElegant Apparel for the [email protected] Conscious Woman Women’s Apparel New Fall Arrivals Buy 1 Piece Get the 2nd Piece 1/2 Price! When the treats were all gone, the giraffe meandered off to a manzanita or sawtooth bush for more greens. Kinross Cashmere... The Serengeti Safari excursion wound along bumpy Make Your Life dirt trails that simulate at least, an African experi- ence. We were fortunate that the desert heat was not Special… so unbearable, it being October in north central Kinross Cashmere is more about Arizona. The 45-minute excursion was over before we being comfortable than being con- knew it, but there was still much, much more to spicuous. Rather than being designed come. for special occasions, it's designed Trolleys transport visitors on an hour-long ride to make every occasion a little more through the Wildlife Preserve, situated on land that special...Kinross Cashmere is a col- lection of exceptional, handmade climbs up steep hills for a sweeping vista of the cashmere sweaters. Mingus Mountains and where the blue skies and Short Sleeve Crew-$140 requisite puffy white clouds go on forever. Within Long Sleeve Crew-$190 the preserve, we had an opportunity to stop at each Long Sleeve V-Neck-$190 habitat and watch our guide (whose name I regret- Cardigan-$230 tably did not get) summon the animals. We viewed the Sizes XS-XL Harrison’s personal pet lion, Java, as well as stunning white and orange tigers, Arctic and grey wolves, a shy jaguar, a cougar, warthogs, a panther, black bears and more, each species at home within its own ample prowling grounds. Tent Clearance Take an extra 40-60% Off the Last Sale Price! Trained staff knows the animals’ personalities: which and when staff can Meet Us For Lunch And A Style Show approach, pet, touch, tickle, soothe, or feed. Prayeri poses here with WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25- HANNAH’S, NEW BUFFALO Eclipse, a black panther. (photo courtesy of Out of Africa Wildlife Park) At each stop, our guide had brought a snack for the 409409 Alexander StreetStreet, LaPorte, IN 326-8602 animals and she taught us about the habits of each. On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway Since I was clicking the camera lens and not taking TurnTurn Rightright on AlexanderAlexander Monday-FridayMonday - Friday10 am 9:30to 6 pmto 7 Saturday Saturday 9:30 9:30 am to to5 5 pm Africa Continued on Page 4 THE Page 4 October 19, 2006 the Harrison’s, these animals would not have survived. They appear to have adapted well despite their lim- itations. On Sunday afternoons and other designated days, visitors linger within the Wildlife Preserve to witness the predator feed. A staff of four animal caretakers, with several troughs of raw food, led the way while we spectators watch them throw slabs of freshly butchered meat over the steel fences for each animal. At each stop, our guide had brought a snack for the animals and she taught us about the habits of each. Here Anika, an Arctic wolf, waits for a snack. Africa Continued from Page 3 notes, I remember only bits and pieces of the animal facts we were told. Most of us were too busy marveling over how tame the animals appeared when they approached our guide, but that is definitely illusion. The animals are not really tame, but the Wildlife Park is all about staff interacting with the animals’ per- A staff of animal caretakers, with several troughs of raw food, led the sonalities.