Wild Beasts in the Wine Country
By
Melanie Anderson
Giraffes, Cape
buffalo, zebra, antelope, wildebeest, and exotic birds -- it feels like
“A lot of people
who can’t afford to go to
For those who
don’t have the time or money to go on an African safari, 
Sleeping in an
authentic African tent amidst the sounds of exotic animals, or taking
an
open-air safari vehicle into wild animal enclosures, it’s
easy to imagine
yourself in the African Serengeti.
But
Safari West is hardly off the beaten path.
If you don’t have a passport, and you only have
a weekend, this may be
the closest you ever get to
I am one of those
people who dream of going on safari.
I crave
the thrill of seeing dangerous and wild animals up close in their
natural
habitat, with only a photo lens between untamed beasts and me.
With plenty of
water, rolling hills, ideal weather and a combination of grassland and
forest
similar to Africa,
I finally went on
my safari when my daughter and I visited Safari West, one of six
private
wildlife preserves in the
When my
12-year-old daughter and I arrived on a warm and golden autumn
afternoon, we
were shown to our sleeping quarters -- an authentic African tent built
on a
wooden platform complete with a deck overlooking the giraffe enclosure. Hardwood floors, large
comfortable beds,
custom furniture, an African-themed décor, and a bathroom
gave the
accommodations a luxurious feel. However,
the canvas walls -- not soundproof or cold proof -- made us feel as if
we
really were in the African bush. A
space
heater and fan kept the tent warm overnight, but with only a net
ceiling in the
bathroom, it was too chilly to attempt a morning shower. You won’t find
televisions, telephones, alarm
clocks, or internet access here. Safari
West is dictated by nature, not technology.
In addition, you won’t need an alarm clock
either – the animals will
wake you at sunrise.
With
plenty of time to roam before dinner, we took a walk around the ranch,
getting an
up-close look at giraffes, ostriches and various antelope. However, when we wandered
up a road and came
upon a herd of Cape buffalo, a little trickle of fear shivered down my
spine. They looked
big, mean, and scary. I’m
sure the flimsy wire fencing that
separated us from them couldn’t hold against a stampede if
the animals so
desired. One bull
in particular stared
me down.
The
next day, our safari tour guide, Milton Rieback, a South African native
who
worked at several big game parks in his country, informed us that Cape
buffalo
are one of Africa’s Big 5 -- one of the five most aggressive
and dangerous
animals in Africa. These
animals,
I
told
With
only 30 of these animals in all of North America, it was a privilege to
see the
small herd of six
Our
safari brought us up close to Watusi cattle, gemsbok, waterbuck and
impala
antelopes, wildebeest, and mountain sheep.
I was disappointed we missed the zebra, but it proved that
these animals
had plenty of space to roam and hide on the 400-acre preserve.
One
of the highlights of our safari tour occurred when a giraffe and
ostrich
brazenly walked right up to the jeep to get an up-close peek at us. The ostrich pecked
repeatedly on the back of
my daughter’s seat. While
she scrambled
into my lap in fear, I thought it was cool we were practically
nose-to-beak
with the ostrich. The
giraffe walked up
to my side of the jeep, and while I got a good look at its body a few
inches
away, the folks sitting on the upper deck of the jeep were
eyeball-to-eyeball
with the graceful giant. We
also learned
why giraffes have black tongues – so they won’t
burn in the hot African sun.
The
walking portion of the tour takes visitors around the giraffe
enclosure, inside
the aviary, and to the cheetah enclosure.
The other animals we saw included lemurs, foxes, and a
serval (which
looks like a bobcat).
Owned
by Peter and Nancy Lang, Safari West saw its humble beginnings in the
In
1989, Lang relocated the preserve to 400 acres outside Calistoga. His wife, Dr. Nancy Lang,
is former curator
of the San Francisco Zoo. As
well as
managing staff, research and other duties at the preserve, she also
teaches
biology at
Today
the preserve is home to 450 individual animals, with 90 different
species
living on the ranch, including exotic birds and 30 different species of
mammals, said registrar Kimberly Robertson.
Robertson’s other duties include nursing
newborns and overseeing the
hatchery. Most of
the animals at Safari
West are natives of Africa, but some also come from Asia,
The
ongoing mission of Safari West is to conserve wildlife preservation
through
breeding, education, research, and public interaction.
Safari
West is home to a few endangered species, including two cheetahs --
sisters
that came to the preserve when they were just six weeks old. Handler Marie Martinez is
responsible for
these cats, named Thula (meaning soft and quiet) and Gijima (fast). Their grandparents were
born in the wild, but
these sisters came from
Clearly,
For
fun, Thula and Gijima play soccer, ride around the park in a golf cart
or
safari jeep and take walks. The
cheetahs
are kept on leashes outside their half-acre enclosure and watched
carefully. Though
the cats are friendly and affectionate
with their handlers,
Today,
there are less than 50 cheetahs left in
In
the wild, cheetahs will run down their prey and trip them. Before eating, the cat
must rest for 30
minutes to catch its breath. Cheetahs
are known as the “scaredy-cats” of the big cats. A vulture who wants its
prey can easily scare
off the cats. Hardly
fierce, Thula and
Gijima are frightened by wild turkeys that drop into the ranch for a
visit.
We
left Safari West feeling as if we really had a taste of
But,
someday, the call of the wild will see me in
Contact
Information
Safari
West Wildlife Preserve
and Tent Camp
(707) 579-2551 or (800)
616-2695
safariwest@safariwest.com
http://www.safariwest.com
Situated
between the
Directions
From
Located
about an hour north
of
From
Take
I-80 west to Hwy 12 Napa
exit. Cross the
valley and turn right on
Hwy 29 for
Photo
courtesy Melanie Anderson
Ó
2007
Melanie Anderson