I’m an animal lover to the core – and would have a house full of critters if I could (one dog and two cats, for now…) We love to search out animal-related excursions or experiences when we’re traveling. Riding an Icelandic horse in the rugged lava fields of Iceland was one of my favorite experiences ever, kayaking with dolphins was incredible in Coastal South Carolina, and letting an Asian falcon perch on our hands was a super cool experience in West Virginia. Just no snakes, please! Our fingers are crossed for swimming with manatees in April and seeing a moose in the wild this summer! However, there are some amazing animal expeditions that are just a day trip from Indianapolis.
These destinations go beyond the traditional petting zoo or pony ride. Presenting “Indiana’s Wildlife Trail” including five of the coolest spots for observing and interacting with wildlife.
Let’s start in the southwest and zig-zag our way to the northeast.
- Wilstern Ranch (Paoli, IN) – I gave an elephant a bath! Sounds like a cute kids’ book title, but it’s a true statement. It’s one of the many unique animal encounters you can do at Wilstem – ones with giraffes, kangaroos, parakeets,and grizzly bears! Most encounters include an educational session where you learn about the animal and why they are at the ranch as well as an opportunity for photos. You can feed the giraffes and parakeets, and play with the kangaroos. My sister has always adored elephants, so scrubbing them with Murphy’s Oil Soap was a surreal experience. We also learned the history of the three elephants at the ranch and a little about elephants in general. We took turns hosing them down, washing them with a brush, polishing their toes and petting their thick, hairy skin. They loved every minute of it, and so did we!
2. Exotic Feline Rescue Center (Centerpoint, IN – near Terre Haute): As I said in a recent post, this is one of my favorite places in the entire state. EFRC is an animal sanctuary for mistreated lions, tigers, cougars, bobcats, jaguars and other exotic cats. And you can get up close and very personal with them on guided tours of their facility – like just a couple feet away from most of them with only a chainlink fence in between (so close, in fact, that you need to watch out for tigers lifting their tail and spraying!). Not only does this place tug on my heart strings because they are saving big cats’ lives, but it is an incredible and unique experience to see dozens of these gorgeous creatures inches away from you. Until I can journey to Africa for a safari, we can visit EFRC to see exotic cats from around the globe.
3. Indianapolis Zoo ( Indianapolis): I hesitated to put a zoo on the list, but the Indy Zoo has some incredible experiential offerings – you can touch dog sharks and rays in a petting pool in the Oceans building; watch a dolphin show; and feed lorikeets and giraffes. Plus, the orangutan exhibit is one of the most incredible of any animal enclosures I’ve ever seen and has received several international awards for its design. Many of the orangutans were rescued from bad situations, but they now live in a state-of-the-art facility that also includes 80-foot canopied towers designed to mimic their native Borneo and Sumantran forests. My 8-year old loved learning all of their names and watching them through the huge windows and atop their perches. I also love the Indy Zoo because of their conservation work to preserve and save species. Their Indianapolis Prize is the world’s leading animal conservation award. They provide $250,000 to the most successful animal conservationists in the world, those who are making a difference in the lives of endangered and threatened animals.
4.Wolf Park (BattleGround, IN about 70 miles north of Indianapolis) Established as a research and education center, wolves, coyotes and foxes call Wolf Park their home. As wolves have a 1/2 mile long flight distance (the distance they want to flee from seeing a human), it was difficult to do research on them (before the days of wifi, wireless cameras and GPS). So, they hand raise the pups from 10-weeks old so that they are acclimated to humans. A guide took us around their grounds for a 45-minute tour, describing their habits, how they are raised and their care. Wolf Park is just about the right amount of talking and walking to keep my boys interested. They also have a small education center and gift shop. They offer several seminars and lectures about wolves and other canines.
5.Bison at Kankakee Sands Preserve (Morocco, IN): “Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam…” Hundreds of years ago, thousands of bison roamed the Midwest, and now at Kankakee Sands Preserve, about 1 hour, 45 minutes northwest of Indianapolis, you can see them just as they would have been in the prairie in the 1800s. Bison are a keystone species which means that other specials in an ecosystem largely depend on them. They are also the largest land mammal in North America. There are now a few dozen bison, with several calves born each spring. Don’t worry, they are fenced off in a field so you don’t have to worry about these friends chasing you away.
These are just a few examples Indiana’s Wildlife Trail. I’m sure there are others that we need to explore. I’d also encourage you to check out your state Department of Natural Resources web site as well as your local parks department site. In Indiana, there are a myriad of opportunities to go bird watching, on wildlife walks, and fishing.with park rangers and naturalists.
