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One Tank Trips: Global Wildlife Center
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FOLSOM - Did you know there's an authentic safari experience waiting for you, just an hour outside of the capital area? At Global Wildlife Center (GWC), you can get up close and personal with zebras, giraffes, and so much more!
With over 2,000 animals of more than 30 different species, it's an adventure beyond your wildest dreams. These animals are free-roaming on a plot of 900 acres; interacting with each other just as they would in their homelands.
“We have endangered animals, we have exotic animals, we have giraffes, zebras... just all sorts of fun things for you to see and explore," Christina Cooper, Executive Director at GWC, said.
There are three different tour experiences offered to guests here: wagon tours, semi-private tours and private Pinzgauer tours. You should choose the experience that aligns with your budget, your group size and how close you want to be to the animals.
The most popular animals are the giraffes. GWC owns a group-- or "tower"-- of 12 giraffes. We introduced viewers to the youngest of the tower, Baby Frannie, after Hurricane Francine.
On our team's guided tour, Baby Frannie had her first tour interaction with us! Cooper said it was a very special moment, as the baby giraffe has been hesitant to approach humans she's not familiar with.
But giraffes aren't even half of it. On your safari, you'll also get to feed bison, deer, antelope, llamas, alpacas and more.
If you'd rather stay on foot, another experience offered to guests are the capybara encounters. The staff will take you behind the scenes into the capybara enclosure, where Bruno and Tot live. You'll feed them and learn facts about their species (such as how they're the largest rodent in the world). They'll also paint a picture with you that you can take home as a souvenir.
No matter what time of year you decide to visit, there is something interesting to see. Fall is typically the busiest time of the year, Cooper said, and winter is a bit slower if you're looking for a smaller crowd. GWC offers memberships so you can see all the seasonal changes in the animals' behaviors.
This weekend, GWC will also be hosting their annual fall fest with live music, s'mores and pumpkin bowling! Click here for tickets and information about tours.
Have a suggestion of where Falon and Joel should take their next One Tank Trip? Email them at onetanktrips@wbrz.com
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