It was an easy drive south to Locust Grove to visit the Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary. The Sanctuary was created to provide a home for abused, unwanted and orphaned animals and is FREE to visit.
This worthy organization, a 501©3 Non-Profit Organization is deserving of each and every donation from its visitors.
I think the Sanctuary is a very good place to visit, especially with young children. There is a huge playground, lots of picnic tables, a beautiful flower garden, a habitat for turtles and a pond with a bridge and alligators next to the Visitor Center.
I can picture young families enjoying walking around the large animal enclosures and then coming back to relax at the playground. We picked up a map and started exploring.
The big animals are on the other side. Wow! The feeling that I get at a regular zoo is that every space must be used to generate money. You will see a cage or animal habitat and next to it will be a souvenir shop or a food establishment.
But at Noah’s Ark, you get a real sense of what it is like to live and work with the animals. The fenced habitats are immense! You see workers feeding and caring for the animals and driving around in the animal pens. Even though the fences are double fenced and very, very tall, you feel close to the animals. The sheer number of animals (1500+) at the Sanctuary is amazing.
The birds! There are hundreds in the pens, their cages have toys, branches and places to land on, and their colors are so vibrant. The visual picture alone of all the different colored birds is worth the visit.
The monkeys! There are so many different types and they are so loud! All kinds of primates are together; the signs on the fences describe the type.
The big cats! We enjoyed reading the signs on the fences, especially about the white tigers. So many tigers are destroyed in the breeding process if they are not perfectly white. Definitely enjoyed seeing the lion, tiger and bear habitat (the only place known in America where these three species live together).
Peacocks and ducks wander aimlessly around. Butterflies flit through out the flowering bushes. Snakes are in the Visitor Center. Alligators peek their snouts out of the pond water. Mammoth turtles blink lazily. Bunnies pant.
The physical size of the land that the Sanctuary is located on immense, 250 acres, and it makes me very happy to see that these animals have such a good home now after neglect. It is important for children and adults to develop compassion for animals and visiting this Georgia gem is an excellent way to teach that.
So be prepared to walk a lot if you want to see all of the enclosures at the Sanctuary. But it is a relaxing and non-rushed atmosphere with an aura of peace and contentment. It is great for kids, families and anyone with an interest in wild animals. And if you can, donate — I am sure they will use every penny! Here’s a link for ways to help.
Follow their Facebook page for up-to-the-minute information and awesome photos! If you love animals and have little ones, check out Scoop Approved Tanglewood Farms, where miniature animals live!
Julie is a contributer to ScoopOTP. She also wrote about the largest Hindu Temple, that is located OTP. She is a 15-year OTP resident and a senior contributor to the website TripAdvisor under the name “TravelingGal2012.”
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