Georgia Magazine - July 2010 - (Page 21)

Alexandra Love, the author’s daughter, feeds a friendly zebra through the car window at Pine Mountain Wild Animal Safari. miles from Callaway Gardens, the 18-year-old park also boasts a Georgia Wildlife Museum featuring wildlife native to the state in a natural setting, as well as a restaurant and gift shop. Yellow River Game Ranch 4525 Highway 78, Lilburn; (770) 972-6643; yellowrivergameranch.com With approximately 600 animals on 24 acres just west of Stone Mountain Park on Highway 78, the Yellow River Game Ranch has been one of metro Atlanta’s favorite familyfriendly attractions for more than 20 years now. “We loved dealing with animals,” says owner Art Rilling, “and we wanted to show people the everyA baby goat gets chummy with a duck at the Yellow River day things that you don’t see in the city. Game Ranch. I grew up on a Service, is housed in a lavish white farm, but the modern generation Southern minimansion with its own doesn’t see much of that stuff. It’s a mailbox, water fountain and satellite big deal for these kids when a deer dish. But, like most celebrities, his or chicken comes up and wants to public appearances tend to be few be fed.” and far between. The ranch separates itself from Fortunately, the ranch’s other other preserves by specializing in residents are much more personbirds and animals indigenous to able, with deer, sheep, goats, pigs, Georgia, from white-tailed deer and donkeys, horses, rabbits, squirrels black bears to buffalo, coyotes and and chipmunks practically begging birds of prey. But their most famous for hand-fed snacks, which can be resident is undoubtedly one Gen. purchased in the gift shop. Beauregard Lee, the prognosticating Freelance writer/photographer groundhog with a 94-percent weathBret Love has been covering er-predicting accuracy rate. Beau, Atlanta’s arts, entertainment, travel who has been recognized for his and restaurant scene for 17 years public service by four Georgia govfor a variety of local and national ernors and has twice been compublications. mended by the National Weather July 2010 www.georgiamagazine.org A kid’s-eye view Our 8-year-old correspondent, Alexandra Love [the author’s daughter], offers her opinion on these animal attractions: Chestatee Wildlife Preserve: “We got to hold a chinchilla and a cute baby ring-railed lemur. He was really soft and cuddly. [Two-month-old grizzly cub] Gus was a playful little rascal, running all over the place and splashing in mud puddles like a little kid. He was funny!” Noah’s Ark: “It was awesome to see that a bear, a lion and a tiger could all get along really well in the same cage. … Some people tried to get too close to the deer and they’d run away, but if we walked slowly and calmly, they would let us get really close to them.” Pine Mountain Wild Animal Safari: “You drive through and get to feed zebras, deer, pigs and other animals from your car. Watch out for the big cows and buffalos: If you’re not careful, they might drool all over you! I loved the baby tigers.” Yellow River Game Ranch: “My favorite animals were the deer, baby goats, chipmunks, foxes and black bears. I like how [some of] the animals will just eat right from your hand.Take lots of crackers, carrots and peanuts with you to feed them!” 21 http://www.yellowrivergameranch.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - July 2010

Georgia Magazine - July 2010
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar
Currents
Special Energy Report
Where the Wild Things Are
Still Going Strong
Reliving History and Exploring Nature
Around Georgia
Georgia@Home
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Georgia Cooks
Cookbook of the Month
Snapshot

Georgia Magazine - July 2010