Within Ohio is a safari, little known to many outside of the state, which houses many animals that are in need of habitat, or have been neglected by their own countries. The Wilds is the largest conservation area in North America for animals, and as such, has an area where visitors can go on a tour of their dreams: a safari.
In this open air tour, through the duration of two and a half hours, you will see many species that are non-native to the United States, and some that are, such as groundhogs and geese. On tour, which showed me the importance of restoration of our forests and natural world, I saw giraffes, zebras, ostriches, rhinos, the Sichuan Tonkin, and many more species, including blue gill and parakeets.
Many may not know that The Wilds is built on a strip mine, and the 10,000 acres of reclaimed land go to research for colleges, and the housing and protection of wildlife.
I thoroughly enjoyed my tour of the safari, and thank the tour guide Bob and the many wonderful staff who work there that made my visit, among the others, so educational and enjoyable. Thank you to The Wilds for making this journey possible, and if you, too, want to go on an open-air tour, visit https://thewilds.columbuszoo.org/home/visit/plan-your-visit/specialty-tours.
On the way back, while in Columbus, Ohio, there was time for a brief tour of the Colombus Museum of Art, which houses collections of some of European’s finest masters, Monet, Matisse, and Robert and Sonia Delauney, although many exhibitions showcased unknown artists from various backgrounds, those of women and black artists. There were several art galleries in the block, making a walking art tour possible, if one had desire.
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During the brief time I was in Ohio, along the way there, there was time to visit the Sunwatch Indian Village, the Indian Mounds at the Hopewell Culture National Historic Park, and Old Man’s Cave and Ash Cave in the Hocking Hills State Park. All were different, yet instilled a sense of peacefulness and serene reverence, especially in the Indian mounds preserve.
The beauty of Hocking Hills cannot be explained, although if I were to choose words, one could say it is like stepping in an enchanted forest, where one could spend hours with no time outside passing, and indeed, it is important we preserve our natural world for years to come.
As always, all opinions are my own, and now, time for some photographs.
