Teeke and Twiga: Wildwood Wildlife Park Two Newest Residents

Wildwood Wildlife Park is proud to announce the arrival of two new animals to our Zoo family: a ten-month old male giraffe named "Teeke" and a seven-month old female giraffe named "Twiga."

We've been getting ready for the arrival for the past few years and recently finished construction on their new home. So many of our friends have been asking when to expect the giraffes arrival and we appreciate your patience and understanding that their arrival was dependent upon Twiga being totally weaned and independent.

Teeke and Twiga arrived at Wildwood Wildlife Park on Tuesday, June 18, 2013, from the Tanganyika Wildlife Park in a specially designed trailer built to hold giraffes. Because they are young, the trip from Goddard, Kansas, to Minocqua was made easier than if they were full-grown adults.

Teeke and Twiga are settling into their new home in the zoo's African Serengeti exhibit. The African Serengeti project has been in the works for past two years with the giraffe barn and giraffe yard completion in May 2013.

We would like to thank our proud sponsors of the African Serengeti Project for helping helping our dreams come true:

County Materials Corporation
King Quarry LLC
Quality Heating Inc
Stratford Building Supply Inc
Hartman Well Drilling Inc
Ritchie Lakeland Oil & Propane
Northern Pines Greenery Inc
Friends of the Zoo

During the time when Teeke and Twiga are acclimating to their new home they will be indoors: our guests will be able to view the giraffes through the glass viewing area.

Wildwood Wildlife Park is home to over 1,000 animals so in addition to visiting the giraffes, there is so much to see and do!

Check out the largest interactive animal encounter in Wisconsin where guests can feed goats, sheep, pigs, cuddle a bunny, hug a tortoise, pet a porcupine, stroke a skunk and much more.

Experience hand-feeding Whitetail deer, camel and aoudads or feed our black bears Buddy, Candy and Honey their favorite treat, "Bear Juice."

Everyone in your family will enjoy the Budgie Encounter which is a Free Flight Aviary where the parakeets land on you and enjoy a seed stick which you can purchase.

Families have been visiting our zoo for over 50 years - generations of families have made a visit to our zoo part of their family tradition. Helping you make family memories is part of our mission.

Wildwood Wildlife Park is located two miles west of U.S. 51 on U.S. 70 in Minocqua, Wisconsin. We are open 7-days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Giraffe Update

If you have made a trip to the zoo this year, you've no doubt seen the new Serengeti exhibit that is being constructed. This is one of our most ambitious projects and certainly one of our soon to be highlights for 2013. But if you have not been to the zoo you may have missed our exciting news:

Wildwood Wildlife Park will soon be home to two giraffes.

While we are all very excited and looking forward to their arrival - the giraffes have not arrived as yet.

The zoo where the giraffes are currently residing will not release them to our care until the little female is completely weaned from her mother.

As you can imagine, this is an uncontrolled circumstance and like all soon to be "new parents," we are having to wait until the baby is ready to make the trip to her new home.

We are projecting the timeline to be around the middle of June but please bear in mind that this is all subject to what is in the best interest of the animals.

We will post updates and new of the giraffes on our Facebook page and Twitter account.

Please Note: The photograph is a stock image of a giraffe and is not "our" giraffe. The photo of the crane sculpture is part of the new Serengeti exhibit at Wildwood Wildlife Park.

Pardon Our Dust While We Expand Your Experience At Wildwood!

While we are nearing the end of our season, we will continue (as long as Mother Nature allows!) with our plans for expansion at the park.

We've received several inquires about the areas that have been in various stages of construction. 

New to 2013 will be our new giraffe building/exhibit area. Also under construction are new bathrooms and a snack stand. Judging by the leaves on the trees and the warm weather clothes the workers are wearing, these photographs were taken earlier this summer.

Check out the work being performed in preparation for our new tiger exhibit.

This area is all under construction but we cannot give a definite time line due to the usual construction bumps in the road!

Wildwood's Newest Resident: Kya, a Female Striped Hyena

Wildwood Wildlife Park welcomes Kya, an adorable Striped Hyena. 

Did you know that hyena's do not belong to the Canid (dog) or felid (cat) families? Instead, they are so unique that they have a family all their own: Hyaenidae family. 

These magnificent animals are sometimes called the scourge of the Serengeti but they play an important role as the "clean-up crew."

Striped hyena's are native to North and East Africa, the Middle East and Middle, Central and Southern Asia. 

Striped Hyena's have broad heads with dark eyes, thick muzzles and large pointed ears. The most striking feature on the hyena are their legs: the front legs are much longer than their hind legs. This gives them their distinctive walk. Hyenas are agile and can run, trot, and walk with ease.

Hyena's can hear sounds that human ears cannot, and they can listen for sounds from other predators miles away. Hyena's have a built-in communication system: an anal glad to mark its territory. Each hyena leaves its own unique scent.

Hyena's are solitary animals and are primary nocturnal; they typically only make themselves visible in complete darkness, and are quick to return to their lair before sunrise.