Wildlife Parks in North America - Starting a Thread

ccraftccraft Registered Users Posts: 55 Big grins
edited March 19, 2007 in Wildlife
Hey everyone,

After an amazing trip to Northwest Trek last weekend, I went online to find out if there are other similar parks in my area. Alas, there doesn't seem to be any kind of comprehensive list. There are plenty of lists for "zoos" and stuff like that, but nothing that lists the best places for wildlife photography.

With this in mind, I thought I'd start a thread. Feel free to contribute with pictures.

Near Seattle - Eatonville WA - about 1.5 hours from Seattle
1) Northwest Trek Wildlife Park: This park has a free-roaming area where you can see grazing animals (bison, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, moose, etc.) all running free. You visit via a tram and stick your camera out the window. This lessens the impact humans have on these animals but it also means you can see them roaming around in their natural environment. Animals have mostly been rescued and you can get very cageless shots of even the predators (which are, unfortunately, in enclosures).
For Photographers: There is a photographer's tour every month or so. It costs $40 and you pretty much get the bus for three hours, a seat for yourself and your tripod and the guide will stop as long as the group wants to take pictures.
http://www.nwtrek.org/
2) Vancouver Zoo - Near Langley B.C. about 45 mins from Vancouver
There is a free-roaming area for black bears, elk and bison - again, visited via a tram where you can point your camera out the window. Many of hte animals have been rescued. They have many other species in cages. Some of the environments appear cageless, but others do not. Unfortunately, some of the cages are, IMHO a bit on the too small side.. esp. for monkeys. The animal rights activist in me is a little disgusted by what this place considers enough room for the tropical animals. I'm still not entirely convinced it is ever ethical to have tropical animals in non-tropical north american environments. The pet trade is not a very nice industry. http://www.gvzoo.com/Codes/what.html

3) The Refuge for Endangered Wildlife - Grouse Mountain
On top of Vancouver (15 mins by trolley car up the mountain)
This is strictly a rescue/rehab centre and you can get some beautiful images of the two resident grizzly bears. They also have a birds of prey show that I haven't seen and some former wolf actors. There was controversy last year b/c the centre allowed the grizzlies and the wolves to be in the same enclosure and a grizzly killed one of the poor wolves. You can often see the grizzlies play fighting. The nice thign about their enclosure is that the animals can decide if theyw ant to be on show or not. Many times they will be hiding acres away from where the public can see them - which is just as it should be.
http://www.grousemountain.com/adv_wilref.cfm

4) Birds of Prey Centre, Duncan on Vancouver Island (about 45 minutes from the city of Victoria)
This place houses birds that have been trained by experts in falconry, etc. You can do a hike where a hawk will actually fly around next to you, land on your arm, etc. It's pretty cool. They also do a show where the birds perform different tasks. Unfortunately, I fail to see why this place allows you to get thisclose to eagles that are cageless (they are either injured and can't fly or they are tied down). Eagles don't like to be thisclose to anyone, particularly young children that make loud noises in their faces. This is the one part of the facility I don't condone.
http://www.pnwraptors.com/site_map_family_fun_duncan_bc_vancouver_island.html

While there are other facilities in my region (Vancouver Island)... I wouldn't suggest others for photography.

The Vancouver Aquarium isn't very good for photographers -- First of all, the enclosures are WAY too small for such large marine mammals. Second, it's a difficult place for photography.

There is also a wildilfe rehab centre in Coombs, Vancouver Island. They care passionately about releasing animals back into the wild or rehabilitating them and ensuring their safety. However, all of the animals are in cages and it makes it difficult to do photography.

I've heard great things about the Northern Lights Wolf Centre in Golden, B.C. - if anyone wants to share pictures or comment that would be great. I plan to visit there this summer. You can actually do a hike with the wolves. It sounds very very cool.

Here are some pictures:

NORTHWEST TREK
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GROUSE MOUNTAIN

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VANCOUVER ZOO

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Unfortunately, my duncan birds of prey centre pictures were taken on slide flim and I haven't yet scanned them.

Christina Craft - FunkyTown Photography
portrait and wedding photographer Victoria BC
C-2529 Vancouver St, Victoria · 360-775-2539

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