WILDERNESS TRAILS

ZOO
ACTIVITY TOUR BOOK
 The staff at Wilderness Trails Zoo would like to extend a hearty welcome to our guests!
We appreciate your group coming to view and learn about these amazing creatures.
The zoo crew loves to share their passion about these animals through verbal and
hands on education.
We have created this tour book so you can familiarize yourself with our zoo and the
fascinating animals that call Wilderness Trails Zoo home.
We’d like to be clear from the beginning that any animal with a mouth can bite.
Any direct contact our staff has with the animals is done with extreme care and
supervision. You should never approach an animal that you are not familiar with, or
attempt to approach any animal in the wild.

We would also like to go over a few courtesies that we ask you to make for our animals,
other guests, and your own safety. PLEASE…
• Stay with an ADULT at ALL TIMES.
• Feel free to enjoy our wishing well by the gift shop, but keep hands and feet out of
the water.
• Stay on the trails. No wondering into the flower beds or picking flowers.
• ASK QUESTIONS – Our staff enjoy sharing their knowledge!
• Keep your feet on the ground, and your hands behind the fence.
 This means no standing on the fences, or climbing the rocks, and no reaching over
the fences.
• Help keep our zoo clean by throwing your trash in the garbage bins provided.
• DO NOT throw objects into the animals’ enclosures.
 Foreign objects in the enclosures are very dangerous for our animals.
• ONLY feed animals where food is provided for that specific animal.
• Pet only the animals in the petting area.
• Be excited, but please don’t run or yell because loud noises can upset the animals.
• Keep all lunch and snack items in the picnic area.
• Most importantly — Have fun, enjoy our remarkable animals, and take in the beauty of
the surrounding environment!

ZOO SUDOKU PUZZLE

There are four pictures in this puzzle.
Draw in the pictures so that there is
only one of each kind in a row, column,
or 2 by 2 square.

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BEARDED DRAGON Facts
Bearded dragons are one of the most common reptiles SIZE:13 – 24 inches
kept as pets. These lizards use body language as an DISTRIBUTION: Australia
important form of communication. Beware if you see DIET: Omnivorous
them puffed up and showing their “spikes.” This means
LIFESPAN: up to 10 years in captivity
they are not happy and or trying to establish dominance.
If they feel threatened, they are able to expand their ZOO DIET: salad, crickets, and meal
bodies and use their spikes for protection. worms

BLACK SWAN Facts

Can you say “G’day Mate?” Black swans come from WEIGHT: 12-13 lbs.
Australia. The mother and father work together to build a DISTRIBUTION: Australia
nest made out of twigs right by the water. We have found LIFESPAN: 10 yrs.
that the father is very protective of the mother and her
DIET: aquatic plants
babies. Baby swans are called cygnets.
ZOO DIET: waterfowl food

PARROTS Facts
Wilderness Trails Zoo has many types of parrots. WEIGHT: varies by species
Moluccan cockatoos have beaks so strong they can crack DISTRIBUTION: Southern
open coconuts with ease. African Greys are experts at Hemisphere
mimicking voices and sounds. Our Amazon's favorite song LIFESPAN: average 40 yrs.
is "Old McDonald had a Farm"... if you're lucky he might DIET: fruit, seeds and insects
sing it for you.
ZOO DIET: parrot food, fruit,
vegetables, nuts and seeds

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 FEEL FREE TO REQUEST A SONG FROM OUR PARROTS!

TRY “OLD MCDONALD HAD A FARM”

OR “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”

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RING-TAILED LEMUR Facts
Lemurs are a type of primate. Our lemurs love to WEIGHT: 5-8 lbs.
sunbathe. You might catch them with their arms DISTRIBUTION: Madagascar
stretched and back in a corner warming their belly with LIFESPAN: 15 yrs.
the sun. All species of lemurs are endangered. This means
DIET: leaves, fruit, flowers, bark,
there aren’t many left in the wild.
and insects
ZOO DIET: fruit, vegetables and
monkey biscuits

CRAB-EATING MACAQUES Facts

Everyone take a look at your hand, and wiggle your WEIGHT: 20-25 lbs.
fingers around. Now take a look at our Macaques’ DISTRIBUTION: Southeast Asia
fingers...look familiar? Primates have hands just like LIFESPAN: 30 yrs.
humans including an opposable thumb, which means
DIET: fruit, vegetation and insects
they can grab things with their hands and even use tools.
ZOO DIET: fruits, vegetables and
These primates have “cheek pouches” where they store
food while foraging through the forest. Just think if we monkey biscuits
could store food in our cheeks, we wouldn’t need lunch
boxes!

SPIDER MONKEY Facts

Our spider monkey is one talkative primate! He likes WEIGHT: 20 lbs.
to visit with the staff and to hold our hands. The staff DISTRIBUTION: Mexico and South
still must be very careful because monkeys can change America
moods very quickly. Spider monkeys have prehensile tails, LIFESPAN: 30 yrs.
which means they can grab things with their tails. This is
DIET: vegetation and spiders
a common mode of transportation for our monkey and
ZOO DIET: fruits, vegetables and
your can often see him swinging from his tail or using it
to hold him up. If you look closely, you'll notice he doesn't monkey biscuits
have any thumbs!

PATAS MONKEYS Facts

Our patas monkeys arrived at their new home in 2016. WEIGHT: 10-30 lbs.
We are getting to know their personalities more and more DISTRIBUTION: Africa savanna
every day. Patas monkeys can walk on all four legs or just LIFESPAN: 15-20 yrs.
two legs. They like to spend most of the daytime on the DIET: leaves, seeds, fruits, insects,
ground foraging for food. You may find them sleeping in lizards
the trees at night. A patas monkey can go from 0 – 33mph
ZOO DIET: fruits, vegetables, and
in just 3 seconds! One of their most favorite activities is
grooming each other. So, if you see them “picking” at each monkey biscuits
other’s fur, you’ll know they are content.

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 THANKS FOR HANGING OUT WITH OUR PRIMATES!

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GOATS Facts
Do you see any 4 legged “kids” in the enclosure? Just like WEIGHT: varies by breed
human babies, goat babies are called kids. Our goats are DISTRIBUTION: Africa
easy-going and very friendly. We have two types of goats: LIFESPAN: average 15 yrs.
Pygmy and Boer. Pygmy goats are the shorter of the two DIET: grass, leaves and twigs
and come from Africa. Both male and female pygmy goats
ZOO DIET: hay and grain
have horns. Our goats like to play on the
rocks, jump around, and eat!

PETTING AREA
Here is where you get to touch some of our furry friends. If you have any questions please
ask the attendant. We ask that you keep the noise down, no running or other rowdy
behavior, and pet the animals on their neck or back staying away from their eyes and
mouth. Remember these animals are welcoming you into their home and life; please repay
them with kindness, respect, and lots of attention!

BOBCAT Facts
Does anyone here have a cat? Well even though our WEIGHT: 13-24 lbs.
bobcats are bigger than your cat at home we bet yours DISTRIBUTION: North America
has a bigger tail. Their short tail called a “bobbed tail” is LIFESPAN: up to 30 yrs.
why this type of cat gets named “bobcat.” Bobcats are
DIET: rodents, rabbits, birds, sheep
good swimmers and tree climbers. There were once
and deer
found all over, including Michigan, but humans have since
ZOO DIET: a variety of meat
reduced their habitat due to hunting.

CAPYBARA Facts
The Capybara is the world’s largest rodent! Luckily, you WEIGHT: 70-140 lbs.
won’t find these guys running around your house because DISTRIBUTION: Central and South
they make their home in Central and South America. America
They live around riverbanks, ponds, marshes, or whatever LIFESPAN: 8-10 yrs.
standing water is available. Although the capybara is DIET: grasses, water plants, reeds,
a member of the rodent family, they have no tail and squash, and melons
slightly webbed feet. They typically live in groups of 10-30
ZOO DIET: pellets, greens, and hay
and can eat 6-8 pounds of grass per day!

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 PHEASANTS Facts
If you look at our pheasants you will see that one of the WEIGHT: varies
birds is very colorful while the other is more of a brown DISTRIBUTION: worldwide
color. One bird is male and the other bird is female. Can LIFESPAN: varies
you guess which one is which? The male is the colorful
DIET: seeds, insects and leaves
one, and he struts around the female bird trying to get
her attention with all his pretty colors. The female sits ZOO DIET: bird food mix
on the eggs and keeps them warm. Her color matches
the dirt and helps keep her safe while she's sitting on her
eggs. This is called camouflage.

EGYPTIAN GOOSE Facts

Egyptian geese look a lot like large ducks but they’re WEIGHT: 4 lbs.
not. The males and females look very similar. When the DISTRIBUTION: Africa
female is sitting on a nest of eggs the male stays nearby to LIFESPAN: up to 14 yrs.
protect her. Once their goslings hatch, these geese are on
DIET: seeds and grass
the move with mom and dad both protecting the babies.
ZOO DIET: bird food mix
It is best to leave mom, dad and their babies alone.

COUGAR Facts
What do you call a cat that has too many names? Cougars WEIGHT: up to 230 lbs.
are also called mountain lions, pumas, Florida panthers DISTRIBUTION: North and South
and more! Cougars live in many different habitats from America
snow-covered mountains to tropical rainforests. Even LIFESPAN: 18 yrs.
though these cougars are tawny brown, baby cougars are DIET: small mammals and deer
born with spots they lose as they grow up. This is a type
ZOO DIET: a variety of meat
of camouflage. Cougars are very strong and can jump
straight up 18 feet and forward 30 feet easily in a single
bound. No tennis shoes in the world could make you jump
like that!

SIBERIAN BROWN BEARS Facts

Don't be alarmed if you hear a big splash. Chances are WEIGHT: 500-800 lbs.
you're just hearing our brown bear taking a swim. Bears DISTRIBUTION: Russia
are omnivorous, which means they eat both vegetables LIFESPAN: up to 30 yrs.
and meat. DIET: vegetation, berries, nuts, fish
and mammals
ZOO DIET: omnivore food, fruit and
vegetables

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SIBERIAN TIGER Facts
There are very few words to describe such a magnificent WEIGHT: 400-650 lbs.
animal as our huge male Siberian tiger. Unfortunately, DISTRIBUTION: Siberia to Manchuria
there are very few of these animals left in the wild. There LIFESPAN: up to 25 yrs.
are probably close to as many Siberian tigers in captivity
DIET: wild pig, deer and fish
as there are in the wild. When you look at a Siberian
tiger, you are looking at the largest living cat in the world. ZOO DIET: a variety of meat
Wouldn't it be a shame if these cats weren't around years
later for other kids to see just as you did today?

BENGAL TIGER Facts

Bengal tigers are smaller than Siberian tigers and they are WEIGHT: up to 575 lbs.
slightly more orange in color. Bengal tigers are solitary, DISTRIBUTION: India, Bangladesh
which means they live by themselves. They are nocturnal, LIFESPAN: up to 15 yrs.
which means they hunt at night. Our Bengal tiger is very
DIET: deer, boar and lynx
friendly. Instead of purring, tigers “chuff” to say hi. You
might hear our Bengal chuff at a staff member, especially ZOO DIET: a variety of meat
when it is feeding time.

GRAY FOX Facts

Gray foxes are also called tree foxes. Can anyone guess WEIGHT: up to 15 lbs.
why? They are called tree foxes because they love to DISTRIBUTION: Canada to Venezuela
scurry up into the trees. They even make their homes LIFESPAN: up to 12 yrs.
called dens up in the trees. Though the gray fox is usually
DIET: small birds, mammals, insects
quite timid, the mother and father are very protective of
and fruit
their babies, called kits. If you think you smell a skunk it
is actually our grey fox. They have scent glands that they ZOO DIET: a variety of meat
use to mark their territory.

COLLARED PECCARY Facts

These aren’t just any normal oinkers, and boy are they WEIGHT: 30-67 lbs.
tough! In the wild, these animals eat the fruit from picky DISTRIBUTION: United States to
cacti. Peccaries are also called Javelinas. This name comes Argentina
from the word javelin, which is a pointed spear. The LIFESPAN: up to 24 yrs.
peccary’s tusks are long and sharp like a spear. These pigs
DIET: cacti, fruit, seeds, roots and
are not very friendly and we only go in with them when
insects
we must.
ZOO DIET: hog pellets

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 RED FOX Facts
Red foxes are found in our state of Michigan. They WEIGHT: 11-13 lbs.
are nocturnal and are most active between the hours DISTRIBUTION: Eurasia, Africa,
between midnight and sunrise (when you are sleeping)! Canada and United States
They are shy animals and stay away from keepers when in LIFESPAN: up to 12 yrs.
their enclosure. Foxes have varied habitats ranging from DIET: small mammals, birds, insects
deep forest to artic tundra, open prairie and farmland. and berries
ZOO DIET: a variety of meat

MINIATURE SICILIAN DONKEY Facts

Jack and Jennet went up the hill...what? You say you've WEIGHT: 150-250 lbs.
never heard of Jennet? We were wondering if you'd notice DISTRIBUTION: Mediterranean
that! A boy donkey is called a Jack, and a girl donkey is Islands of Sicily and Sardinia
called a Jennet. These donkeys have a stripe down their LIFESPAN: 20-30 yrs.
backs and across their shoulders forming a cross. This
DIET: grass and shrubs
cross has earned them the nickname "Jesus donkey." Our
ZOO DIET: hay and grain
donkeys are very, very friendly and enjoy attention from
their keepers.

BLACK BEAR Facts

“I’m so rumbly, in my tumbly” Disney’sTM Winnie the Pooh WEIGHT: 100-300 lbs.
can often be heard singing as he climbs a tree to get DISTRIBUTION: Alaska, Canada,
honey. Black bears may not be golden like Winnie the United States and Mexico
Pooh, but they are one of the few bears that can climb LIFESPAN: up to 25 yrs.
trees. And they live in Michigan! Black bears aren’t just DIET: vegetation, small mammals,
black, they are also brown, and they LOVE honey! fish and carrion
ZOO DIET: dog food, fruits and
vegetables

TIMBER WOLVES Facts

These are the largest members of the canine family. WEIGHT: 90-160 lbs.
Wolves use howls and other vocalizations to stay in DISTRIBUTION: Tundra to North
contact with one another. Wolves live in packs of three America
to six, but there can be as many as fifteen to a pack. Even LIFESPAN: 10 yrs.
though you may be temped to “howl” at our wolves to DIET: hooved animals, small
communicate with them, please refrain. It’s just not the mammals and carrion
same when humans “howl.” It may actually scare them.
ZOO DIET: a variety of meat

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 ZOO ANIMALS

Black _____ & Siberian Brown _____

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 MINIATURE HORSES Facts
You all know what a horse looks like; now picture one WEIGHT: 250 lbs.
that is only a third that size. Now you're thinking about DISTRIBUTION: Europe
a miniature horse. Miniature horses were bred to pull LIFESPAN: 20-30 yrs.
carts through coal mines, and because they're so short
DIET: grass
they worked perfectly! Everybody say hi to our
miniature horses. ZOO DIET: hay and grain

LEOPARDS Facts
Stop and see if you can “spot” this graceful cat on our WEIGHT: up to 176 lbs.
trail. Leopards are remarkable climbers who often DISTRIBUTION: Africa, Central Asia,
drag their prey into trees to protect their meal from India, and China
scavengers. They are also strong swimmers and feel LIFESPAN: 10-15 yrs.
very at home in the water. The distinctive large spots
DIET: monkeys, antelopes, gazelle,
that cover a leopard’s coat are often called rosettes
eland, impala, wildebeest
because they resemble the shape of a rose. Black leopards
still have their spots but they are indistinguishable ZOO DIET: a variety of meat
because of their dark coat. Leopard cubs live with their
mother for around two years; otherwise, leopards are
solitary animals.

AFRICAN-CRESTED PORCUPINES Facts

Ouch! To your right you’ll find one of the pokiest animals WEIGHT: 30-60 lbs.
at our zoo...an African-Crested Porcupine. Those pointy DISTRIBUTION: Africa
things on their backs are called quills. The porcupines LIFESPAN: 12-15 yrs.
use these quills for protection. Porcupine quills are very
DIET: roots and tubers
sharp, and these animals will poke other animals with
them to defend themselves. Ouch that would hurt! Talk ZOO DIET: fruits, vegetables and
about a “sharp” method of defense. rodent chow

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SERVAL Facts
A leap and a bound and this neat cat may come up with a WEIGHT: up to 40 lbs.
bird for dinner. Servals have been known to jump 10 feet DISTRIBUTION: Morocco, Algeria and
in the air to snag a bird. Their hearing is so good they can Africa
hear rodents tunneling underground. If you look at our LIFESPAN: up to 13 yrs.
Serval, you’ll soon see that he looks a little stretched out.
DIET: rodents, birds, antelope and
Servals come from Africa where those long stretched out
hares
necks and legs give them a big advantage while hunting in
tall grass. ZOO DIET: a variety of meat

ZEBU Facts
“Holy cow!” and we mean that literally. This type of cattle WEIGHT: 800 lbs.
is sacred in its home region of India. In India, these DISTRIBUTION: India
animals are allowed to roam wherever they want and no LIFESPAN: domestic 20 yrs.
one will bother them. Zebus have a characteristic hump
DIET: grass
on their shoulder and both males and females have horns.
ZOO DIET: hay and grain

COATIMUNDI Facts
Our coatimundis are rambunctious troublemakers that WEIGHT: 6-13 lbs.
the whole zoo staff loves. Coatimundis are relatives of DISTRIBUTION: Arizona to Argentina
the raccoon. They have long noses that they use to dig LIFESPAN: 15-20 yrs.
under dirt, tree bark and leaves to find insects to eat. DIET: lizards, rodents, birds and
Coatimundi females travel in groups of up to twenty fruit
individuals known as bands.
ZOO DIET: a variety of meat, fruit
and vegetables

COYOTE Facts
Coyotes are the most vocal members of the canine family, WEIGHT: 33-46 lbs.
and the fastest runners. Coyotes are seen more often DISTRIBUTION: Central America to
than heard. If you do see a coyote, it is usually by itself or Alaska
with one other coyote. Coyotes are very adaptable and LIFESPAN: up to 21 yrs.
have adjusted well to people moving into their habitat.
DIET: small mammals, fruit, grass
Coyotes are now found closer to houses than they used to
and vegetables
be. Sometimes they can be found eating our garbage.
ZOO DIET: a variety of meat

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ANSWERS: Aquatic, Arboreal, Avian, Browser, Camelid, Equine, Frugivore, Herbivore, Omnivore, Oviparous, Prehensile,

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Ruminants, Carnivore, Cervids, Diurnal, Mammal, Marsupial, Nocturnal, Terrestrial, Tundra, Grazer, Reptilian
ZOOLOGY WORD SEARCH
RIVER OTTER Facts
Our river otter is the most playful animal at the park. WEIGHT: up to 17 lbs.
He loves to swim, run and play chase. River otters have DISTRIBUTION: North America
a thick undercoat that helps keep them warm and LIFESPAN: up to 16 yrs.
“water-proof”. Therefore, not even snow and ice slows DIET: fish, frogs, small mammals
their fun down. It is said that King James I of England and arthropods
kept a pack of tame otters to catch fish for his dinner,
ZOO DIET: a variety of meat
even appointing a “Keeper of the King’s Otters” to take
including fish
care ​of them.

FENNEC FOX Facts

What big ears you have little fox! These foxes are the WEIGHT: approximately 3 lbs.
smallest species of fox but they have very big ears for DISTRIBUTION: North Africa &
their size. Fennecs live in the desert. They use their Middle East
relatively large paws (for their size) for digging. To keep LIFESPAN: 12 yrs.
cool, they dig underground dens in which to hide from
DIET: small rodents, lizards and insects
the hot sun. At night their big ears help them detect prey
like small rodents, lizards and insects. They also eat plants ZOO DIET: dry food, fruits, and
and fruits. They are able to release heat through their vegetables
large ears to help keep them cool.

NILGAI Facts
You are looking at the largest Asian antelope. You can WEIGHT: 400-650 lbs.
easily tell a boy from girl when looking at this animal. DISTRIBUTION: Asia
The boys are bluish-grey and the girls are orange to LIFESPAN: 10-15 yrs.
tawny. Also, only the boys have horns. These animals
DIET: grasses, herbs and woody plants
are usually tame, as you may see a keeper actually petting
one of ours! ZOO DIET: hay and grain

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 SIKA DEER Facts
Sika deer come from Japan. They have short legs and WEIGHT: up to 140 lbs.
small stout faces, and are highly vocal. At least ten DISTRIBUTION: Siberia, Korea, Japan
different sounds have been recorded. People in their and Taiwan
native land used to come visit tame sika deer in temples LIFESPAN: up to 26 yrs.
and offer them rice cookies for food.
DIET: vegetation, flowers and fruit
ZOO DIET: hay and grain

AFRICAN LION Facts

Our lions at the zoo are actually brothers. In the wild, WEIGHT: up to 550 lbs.
lions live in groups of up to 40 lions called prides. Within DISTRIBUTION: Africa
these prides, it’s the female lioness’ that hunt. A typical LIFESPAN: 15 yrs.
day for a lion consists of approximately 21 hours of rest!
DIET: carnivorous
Their roar can be heard up to 5 miles away (sorry to our
ZOO DIET: a variety of meat
neighbors). Have you ever heard the term “cat nap” — our
lions love it!

DROMEDARY CAMEL Facts

Our gentle giants at the zoo come with one big hump, WEIGHT: up to 1,500 lbs.
round flat feet, a long face and are known as dromedary DISTRIBUTION: Arabian peninsula
camels. Dromedary camels have only one hump, while and North Africa
Bactrian camels have two. Although it is true that camels LIFESPAN: 12-50 yrs.
can go for long periods without water, those humps on DIET: available vegetation
their backs actually store fat. Our camels are very sweet
ZOO DIET: camel pellets and hay
and affectionate and have a loving, if perhaps a little
slobbery place in our hearts.

AMERICAN BISON Facts

Bison are the heaviest animals in North America, but WEIGHT: 2,200 lbs.
despite their large size the bison can run 30mph. A baby DISTRIBUTION: Historically Canada,
bison is protected and taken care of by the whole herd. United States and Mexico
When threatened, the females form a protective ring LIFESPAN: 20 yrs.
around the young, and the bulls stand in a protective
DIET: grasses
circle around the females. Bison are called buffalo in
the U.S. They were a very important animal to Native ZOO DIET: hay and grain
American Tribes in the plains.

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CHAPMAN ZEBRA Facts
Each zebra has it’s own unique set of stripes making it WEIGHT: 500 lbs.
one of a kind just like a snowflake. Zebras live in herds DISTRIBUTION: Africa
with other zebra, but they also mix with groups of LIFESPAN: up to 15 yrs.
Gnu, Hartebeest and Ostrich. Here’s the cool part: The DIET: grass
Hartebeest and Gnu have a very good sense of smell.
ZOO DIET: hay and grain
The Zebra have acute hearing and the Ostrich very good
vision and a high vantage point. Together they form an
effective early warning system against predators, usually
Lions and Hyenas. Pretty neat huh?

Niezgucki Family Reptile Sanctuary

REPTILE SANCTUARY
Step back into this 1800’s village that houses 60 plus rescued reptiles. Check out our 18 foot
granite Burmese python. Find an 8 foot American Alligator along with monitors and iguanas
native to far away countries of the world. All the reptiles belong to and are cared for by the
Niezgucki Family.

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 REPTILE SANCTUARY WORD SEARCH

P J N D C G I P Y T H O N Y O
T R B B M N W T M V C D V M Y
O B E A R D E D D R A G O N M
R A R E E B U L L S N A K E V
T S E L P C T S C B T X J D O
O A P H G K G W N N M D Q H A
I E I L C L S B Y Q K Y X G L
S K F L I X W V Z J K V E E L
E U S A Y W H W O F P B D V I
B O A C O N S T R I C T O R G
S Z O S E F R E P T I L E K A
K S R C A M E L I O N U R R T
I G U A N A T X C D T S R A O
N M X Y I J J X L I Z A R D R
K M T M C G T S N A K E P P U

Find these words above. Words can go up or down and even diagonal!

BOA CONSTRICTOR REPTILE BULL SNAKE SKINK

CAMELION TAIL IGUANA PYTHON

ALLIGATOR SNAKE LIZARD TORTOISE

BEARDED DRAGON

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AOUDAD Facts
Aoudads are also known as Barbary sheep. Aoudads like WEIGHT: up to 200 lbs.
to climb rocks and are known for their distinctive neck DISTRIBUTION: North Africa
hair. Both males and females have horns that grow a little LIFESPAN: 24 yrs.
more each year giving them a bumpy appearance. When
DIET: grass, bushes and lichen
Aoudads are scared they don’t run, but rather they hold
ZOO DIET: hay and grain
very still. By freezing when they are scared they hope that
other animals won’t see them.

BLACK BUCK ANTELOPE Facts

Run, run, RUN! Antelope make a living out of running. WEIGHT: 55-75 lbs.
Running is how they stay away from their predators. The DISTRIBUTION: India
male has horns that spiral up towards the sky and his fur LIFESPAN: 13 yrs.
is black and cream colored. The coloring of the male is DIET: leaves, shrubs, flowers and
how this animal gets its name. Black, well that’s obvious fruit
he’s got black fur, buck is another name for a male, and
ZOO DIET: hay and grain
antelope is the type of animal they are. Put those together
and you get black buck antelope.

REINDEER Facts
Have you ever been outside freezing in the winter? WEIGHT: 200-600 lbs.
Well, then you should have been jealous of the reindeer. DISTRIBUTION: Ireland, Germany,
Reindeer have thick winter coats that make ice and snow North America, North Pole and
no problem. Their hooves make a clicking sound as they Greenland
walk because they are actually split into four parts. This LIFESPAN: 12-15 yrs.
type of hoof helps them to walk easier over snow and
DIET: lichens, grass, shrubs and
ice just like snowshoes help humans. Reindeer are also
leaves
known as caribou. Reindeer are the only type of deer
where males, females, and calves all grow antlers. ZOO DIET: beet pulp and reindeer
pellets

ELK Facts
You are looking at one of the largest species within the WEIGHT: 500-750 lbs.
deer family. Boys are called “bulls” and girls are called DISTRIBUTION: North America and
“cows.” They are also called “wapiti” which means “white Eastern Asia
rump” in Shawnee. Mountain lions, gray wolves and bears LIFESPAN: 10 yrs.
all hunt elk for food. Favorite foods for elk include dande-
DIET: grass and shrubs
lions, asters, hawkweed, violets, clover, and the occasional
mushroom. Elk eat grasses and the new tips and leaves of ZOO DIET: hay and grain
shrubs. Now you see them, now you don’t! Boy elk shed
(they fall off) their antlers each fall and they re-grow in
the spring.

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 WATUSI CATTLE Facts
Holy Cow! These distinctive African cattle are known for WEIGHT: up to 1,600 lbs.
their horns that can grow up to eight feet in length with DISTRIBUTION: Africa, North
a base circumference of up to 28 inches. These massive and South America, Europe,
horns protect these cattle from predators as well as help Australia
keep them cool in the hot climate they live in. Watusi LIFESPAN: 12-14 yrs.
bulls can weigh up to 1,600 pounds and stand 5 foot tall at DIET: grass and leaves
their shoulder. These cattle are very social animals.
ZOO DIET: hay, grass,leaves

MOUFLON SHEEP Facts

Males of this species and some females of certain WEIGHT: 60 - 110 lbs.
subspecies have horns. The spiral horns of the males can DISTRIBUTION: Southwest Asia
reach up to 25 inches in length. Female horns are much LIFESPAN: 13-20 yrs.
smaller. Their horns grow continuously throughout their DIET: grass, shrubs, and tree bark
lives. Mouflon rams have a strict dominance hierarchy.
ZOO DIET: sheep pellets, grass, and
hay

ALPACA Facts
Think of the very softest thing you’ve ever touched. What WEIGHT: 150 lbs.
type of things can you think of? Alpacas are VERY soft, DISTRIBUTION: Australia
and their wool is sheared, in other words shaved off, to LIFESPAN: 25 yrs.
make soft sweaters, mittens, hats, and many more great
DIET: grass, shrubs, moss and
things to wear. Don’t worry; the process doesn’t hurt
lichen
the alpaca at all. It’s just like when you get a haircut. As a
ZOO DIET: hay and grain
matter of fact, alpaca wool is so soft that in times past it
was used only to make clothes for the Incan Royalty.

EMU Facts
These are the largest birds native to Australia. They can WEIGHT: 110 - 120 lbs.
run at speeds of up to 40 mph. Females are responsible DISTRIBUTION: Australia
for making a nest of leaves, grass, and bark, but the males LIFESPAN: 5 - 10 years in the wild
are responsible for incubating the eggs for about 8 weeks. DIET: Fruits, flowers, insects, seeds,
During the incubation the male does not drink and barely and caterpillars
eats.
ZOO DIET: bird pellets

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PEAFOWL Facts
You’ve probably heard of Peacocks but that only describes WEIGHT:
the boys of this type of animal. The word peafowl rep- DISTRIBUTION: originally India
resents all of them, Peahen is a girl, and the babies are LIFESPAN:
called peachicks! The male (peacock) have beautiful long DIET:plants, seeds, insects and
tails that can reach up to 4 feet! They use those tails to small animals
make themselves look appealing to the girls, and to make
ZOO DIET: bird food mix
themselves look bigger and scarier to predators.

THE RAINFOREST EXPERIENCE

“Wow, its warm!” Did you know the rainforest averages 100 degrees daily? Our critters in
the encounter love the warm climate. Check out the mammals, spiders, snakes and birds
that are native to the rainforest.

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 DID YOU HEAR ANY SOUNDS WHILE VISITING THE ZOO?

MATCH THE ANIMAL WITH THE SOUND:

ROAR MOO QUACK HOWL

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Of all the animals on earth there is one that can be found almost everywhere.
This animal can swim like a fish, climb like a monkey, and run like a cheetah.
It likes to eat many different kinds of foods. This animal has five fingers and
five toes. It has opposable thumbs so that it can grab things and use tools. It
has special eyes that let it see the world in color and not just black and white.
It lives in groups called families, and spends time with other animals just like
itself that it calls friends. The most special thing about this animal, though,
is its job. You see this animal is the only species that can think, and make
decisions. It is this very special animal’s job to help take care of all the other
animals, and guess what? This animal is YOU! So please, count the animals as
your friends too. Be nice to them, keep their homes clean, and take care of
them the best way you can. Thank you for visiting our animals...our friends,
and for being nice to them just like we do. We hope to see you again soon.

Thank You,
Wilderness Trails Zoo

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 LARGE HERBIVORES

REPTILE
SANCTUARY

RAINFOREST
EXPERIENCE

CARNIVORES

HERBIVORES

PHEASANTS

PETTING AREA

PRIMATES

WILDERNESS TRAILS

ZOO
PLAYGROUND
PICNIC AND

AVIARY

RESTROOM

11721 Gera Rd. (M-83)

Birch Run, MI 48415
(989) 624-6177 • [email protected]
www.wildernesstrailszoo.org
GIFT SHOP

**NOT ALL ANIMALS ARE SHOWN ON MAP**