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View Full Version : Servals, Sloths, Giraffes oh my!


CheezDoodle
07-05-2007, 10:57 AM
So, this week I've been busy at my Busch Gardens day camp, at Busch Gardens Africa. It's been such a great expierience that I thought I should share it with you guys.

Some of the animals I've had close encounters with are:

Kenya the female Serval: for those of you who don't know what a serval is, it's a small wild african cat that looks a little bit like a mini cheetah. She was trained to walk on a harness and we saw her about 3 feet away without a cage between us. She was really adorable and kept on meowing at her keeper for treats.

Rosie the porcupine: We actually got to pet her! And yeah, you can pet them without getting poked if you pet them from their head down. It felt like petting a bunch of coffee stirring straws.

Giraffes: There was like four of them, so I don't remember their names. We were in the back of a safari truck and they were reaching their heads in and we got to feed them lettuce and pet them. They were so pretty :)

Brracka the Southern Ground Hornbill: This thing was a really smart meat-eating bird. No, it doesn't look anything like Zazu. It was actually kind of creepy. But it could spin around on command and liked to catch frisbees in her beak.

We saw a lot of other animals close up including Orangutangs, but they had a cage between them. But we got to see them open their WRAPPED fourth of July presents. One opened up a t-shirt, and actually put it on! They also had little cupcakes and cups full of juice. The baby one found the big cake and ran to the other side of the habitat and when the big one came in, sat on it so the big one couldn't find it.

I saw a lot of other animals, but those are my favorites. Tonight we're spending the night, and there is a big habitat in the room we're sleeping in, and Kenya the serval is in it! :goodvibes I'm so excited!

JulielovesDisney
07-05-2007, 11:00 AM
Awww! That sounds amazing!!! I'm glad you're having such a great time!! :goodvibes

CheezDoodle
07-05-2007, 02:39 PM
^^ Thanks, it is super fun!

lalastephanie
07-05-2007, 03:30 PM
Sounds like your having fun =]

STOPxmickeytime
07-05-2007, 05:44 PM
wow. i'm so jealous.
that sounds like so much fun. i'm glad you get to enjoy such a great experience!
i've only been to busch gardens in williamsburg, where is busch gardens africa? tampa bay?

CheezDoodle
07-06-2007, 04:41 PM
wow. i'm so jealous.
that sounds like so much fun. i'm glad you get to enjoy such a great experience!
i've only been to busch gardens in williamsburg, where is busch gardens africa? tampa bay?

Yes, it is. It's not in the best area of town, though. It's not really as well themed and not as clean as the one in Williamsburg, but they really really focus on the animals. They're in the process of building a new Orangutang and a new Tiger habitat, they have 3 orangutangs and 9 tigers, they got 5 more tigers. All the habitats are really good and I got to see like where they sleep at night and stuff. The elephants had an air conditioned barn! A few animals they have like only for the zoo campers, like some of the sloths, the servals, and porcupines. But they still have big habitats. And by the way, servals are just like cats. The one in the habitat in the room we all slept in chased it's tail and meowed a lot.

But if you're ever in the area, make sure to see it. Don't really try to focus on the rides or you'll be a bit disappointed, make certain to by the $3 nectar and feed the lorikeets at Lory Landing, they like to get on your shoulders and arms and your head, it's cool. And there really pretty :)

And I'm not sure if they keep her on display, but ask a keeper if they know where Berracka the Southern Ground Hornbill is! That this is awesome.

CheezDoodle
07-06-2007, 04:46 PM
Yeah and also, a few kids were staying with their families in hotels around the place and got drove here every morning, but they lived out of state, I reccomend it! It's such a great expierience.

I did the Junior Zookeepers camp. It's not really that much, considering you get to spend the night and it is SO fun, if you can stand the heat. I think it's like $230 a person for a whole week? But you get so much behind the scenes and it's so fun, and I know I'll remember this for the rest of my life.

Next year, I'm doing a Sea World/Discovery Cove resident camp :goodvibes I'm excited all ready, because we get to like get to feed Shamu. I just have to help my mom save all year. But I know it'll be worth it!

If anyone has any questions about Busch Gardens or Sea World camp, PM me!

pirateprinces_dancer
07-06-2007, 06:29 PM
sounds kewl