My Full Tour of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in San Diego, California

This video shows a tour I made at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park located in Escondido, California.

Located 56 kilometers north of the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park is an expansive wildlife conservation park – and an adventure like no other. Here, trails and vistas reveal memorable views of lions lounging in the grass, antelope and giraffes mingling on the savannahs, and rhinos wallowing in waterholes. As one of the most distinctive and succesful widlife preserves in the world – full of wildlife encounters and fun experiences – the Safari Park is a unique place where guests are immersed in the natural world and make powerful and lasting connections with wildlife. Visitors can choose from a variety of safari options, from a tram ride around the savannah to a zipline ride over rhinos, deer, and other animals. Many of the safaris also provide opportunities for upclose animal encounters.

The Safari Park was the brainchild of Charles Schroeder, DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine), director of the San Diego Zoo from 1953 to 1973. Envisioning a "zoo of the future" with greater space for the animals, he worked to create a haven for wildlife in zoos and to raise awareness about the crisis of vanishing species and the importance of the conservation efforts necessary to protect them. More than 18,000 mammals and 8,000 birds have been born and hatched at the Park since it opened.

The Park was originally conceived as a "back country animal preserve" that would be dedicated to breeding and maintaining species so that animals would not have to be collected from the wild. As the concept developed, it became clear that the Park could both be a preserve and a site for visitors to enjoy. More than 15 years in the making, the Safari Park was officially dedicated on May 9th, 1972.

Today, the Park has more than 3,600 animals representing 300 species – many of which roam habitats 100 acres in size. Its renowned botanical collection includes 3,700 species and 1.3 million specimens. Nearly half of the Park's 1,800 acres has been set aside as a native wildlife habitat.

Since 1972, the Safari Park has worked to care for the world's wildlife and to engage the public. They hope that people will too enjoy the Park's offerings and follow the sentiment that was expressed on its opening day:

"Join us here…to contemplate the [wildlife] of the the world and nature's wilderness…to strengthen a commitment to wildlife conservation throughout the world, and to strive toward [people's] own survival through the preservation of nature."