By: Jennifer Bean Bowen
Grandparents take note: The ultimate animal adventure is waiting right here in North Carolina. You need not venture beyond our borders to experience lions, tigers, wildebeests, woolly worms, wolfdogs, and more.
Animal Adventures in North Carolina directs readers to 70 locations in the state where they can view, interact, and be educated about wildlife. It’s no coincidence that Zoo and Aquarium Visitor has ranked North Carolina among its “Top 10 Animal Attraction States.”
From the mountains to the coast, each destination offers a unique experience. In Madison County, for example, English Mountain Llama Treks treat guests to overnight hiking excursions with llama companions and steak dinners around the campfire. Lucy Lowe, proprietor, guarantees trekkers will not lose weight on one of her trips! Lowe also promises to provide able hikers unforgettable adventures and nonhikers easy but extraordinary experiences.
At Noah’s Landing in Harnett County, visitors experience hands-on encounters with a variety of kid-friendly critters such as a rose-haired tarantula, an opossum, a fennec fox, miniature Sicilian donkeys, an armadillo, and many others. Dora Turner, the founder, established the facility with the goal of educating children about animals in an environment dedicated to hands-on learning.
The Cape Fear Serpentarium in New Hanover County, founded by herpetologist Dean Ripa, exhibits the “World’s Rarest & Most Dangerous Snakes, Crocodiles, Dragons, and More.” Featured on the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, the Serpentarium is one of most unique facilities in the state.
Animal Adventures in North Carolina highlights popular tourist spots, as well as lesser-known farms, hatcheries, and rehabilitation centers. Several of the destinations in the book house rescue and rehabilitated injured and/or maltreated animals like the Horse Protection Society in Rowan County where abused and neglected equines find refuge, or The Wolf Sanctum in Mitchell County, where mistreated wolves receive necessary care and attention. Visitors to The Wolf Sanctum might meet and pet Cherokee White Rose, a docile Arctic wolf once abused by her caretaker.
At Little Man’s Zoo, in Columbus County, guests can observe nearly 30 spider monkeys. After hearing stories of abuse and neglect, Pat and Herlar Faircloth traveled the United States to retrieve or rescue these particular primates which can be seen swinging from ropes and playing with a variety of objects in their enclosure.
By visiting the facilities included in Animal Adventures in North Carolina, readers can explore species that dwell in faraway and inaccessible places. They will also have opportunities to examine domestic animals and experience the lifestyle of those who care for them.
Within the pages of this travel guide, you will find places to see animals you never knew existed, hear eerie vocalizations from peculiar-looking birds, inhale the distinct smell of a binturong, touch the furry leg of a tarantula, and taste sweet fresh goat’s milk or a giant Malaysian freshwater prawn. So, what are you waiting for? Get the book, pick out a site, grab your camera, hit the road, and let the animal adventures begin!