African Plains

Ohio History

Bontebok

We took the walkway back down the hill from Asia and entered the safari. The African Plains area was a very pretty place; the winding paths were lined with bushy trees and undergrowth. The safari animals grazed together in a pen viewable from the path and a high wooden lookout. The creature above is called a Bontebok, and its horns can grow up to 15 inches in length. It is native to Cape Province, South Africa, and nearly went extinct in the 1830s. Today, only 1,500 Bonteboks are known to exist.

Giraffe

The giraffes were also fun to watch, especially since I had never before seen a giraffe eat sitting down! This one is called a Masai giraffe; this type of giraffe stands 16 feet tall and can weigh over 1,700 pounds. I always marvel at the unique and detailed pattern on every giraffe I see.