Zoobic Safari thrill
By ROBERT R. REQUINTINA
Manila Bulletin
BY now you’re aware of Zoobic Park, one of two famous theme parks located in the heart of Subic in Olongapo City. You’ve probably heard this famous destination from a friend, read articles about it, or seen it on TV.
And if you have been to the park, perhaps you will never forget your close encounter with tigers, one of the special attractions in the area. Either you cuddle up a cub or feed them with live or dressed chicken, it will always be a thrill of a lifetime.
But have you been to Zoobic Park the second time? We motored to the park one Saturday morning with friends Xchosa, Evelyn and May.
Going to Zoobic Park on a cloudy day with slight drizzle is like a blessing because you don’t have to endure the sunshine during the day tour.
It took us more than three hours to get to the park. And when we got there, the entrance area was already filled with excited families and students on field trip.
At the reception area, the audience was treated to an animal show before they proceeded to the tour. During the show, the crowd is treated to live interaction with a pig, a monkey or a snake. It is also during this point that the crowd is informed on the do’s and don’ts in the theme park.
Surrounding the reception area are Siberian and Bengal tigers hauled on big cages, and autographed photos of personalities who have been to the park and posed with tigers and other animals.
So far, there are more than 10 tigers in the park, with Natasha as the oldest tiger in the group.
But perhaps the most exciting part of being in the reception area is when you get to hold and feed Jimsu and Rhea, two tiger cubs that relax on a wooden board. Actually, you cannot play with these tiger cubs unless you’re trained to do it. But what you can do is put them on your lap, feed them and have your photo taken for a fee.
A trip down the area where animals are caged is another interesting part of Zoobic Park because of the wonderful information you learn from every animal in the park.
A tour guide provides enticing details about these animals. Reactions of "oohs!" and "aahs!" were heard whenever our guide would tell us an information about the animal.
You may want to know some of the interesting behavior of those in the animalandia:
* Insects shiver when its cold.
* Bear cats or musang are only active at night and they sleep during the day.
* White-breasted eagle have eight times clearer vision than human.
* Porcupines make love without any contact with their partners. The male porcupine just spray his urine in the genital of the female porcupine and presto! a baby porcupine is in the making.
* Squirrels can glide as high as 150 feet.
* A Malay civet cat is source of one of the most expensive coffees in the world.
* Palm civet cat is source of perfume substance.
* Ostrich can do a single kick which is five times equivalent to the kick of a horse.
* Celebes apes (local version of baboon) are in love when they show their behind which usually turn red.
Children and adults will also be interested to visit the Serpentarium where they can view snakes, lizards, iguanas, turtles and other cold-blooded animals.
There’s also the Rodent World which offers an amazing collection of rodents.
But nothing can be more thrilling than the tiger safari ride.
Riding the safari jeep reminded me of that scene from the Oscar-award winning movie called "Jurassic Park." Remember that scene in which Sir Richard Attenborough treated his niece and nephew by riding the jeep on a tour of the park filled with killer dinosaurs?
In the movie, we all know that the dinosaurs got wild and everything turned into a disaster. Perhaps not in Zoobic Park, where there are 15 zookeepers and trainors who are always ready to assist visitors particularly in the jeep ride.
Screams of excitement can be heard from passengers, especially women and children, as soon as the tigers surge toward the vehicle. If you want the tigers to approach your vehicle, better invite them with a dressed chicken which is carried by an animal. If the tigers are hungry, they might just surround the vehicle, rock it or jump on top of the jeep to catch the chicken bait.
Come December, Zoobic Park, owned by Robert Yuchengco, will add two more features and attractions for the growing number of visitors.
Delia De Jesus, general manager of Zoobic Safari, said that visitors will surely enjoy the adventures with crocodiles. "It’s called Croco Loco where visitors will enjoy an adventure with crocodiles. And then we will also open picnic grounds where families and barkadas can hangout."
Too bad that Australian TV naturalist and crocodile hunter Steve Irwin has gone to heaven. He may not be able to flirt with the crocs in "Croco Loco." But perhaps, looking from above, Irwin would be happy to see this development at Zoobic Park.
Manila Bulletin
BY now you’re aware of Zoobic Park, one of two famous theme parks located in the heart of Subic in Olongapo City. You’ve probably heard this famous destination from a friend, read articles about it, or seen it on TV.
And if you have been to the park, perhaps you will never forget your close encounter with tigers, one of the special attractions in the area. Either you cuddle up a cub or feed them with live or dressed chicken, it will always be a thrill of a lifetime.
But have you been to Zoobic Park the second time? We motored to the park one Saturday morning with friends Xchosa, Evelyn and May.
Going to Zoobic Park on a cloudy day with slight drizzle is like a blessing because you don’t have to endure the sunshine during the day tour.
It took us more than three hours to get to the park. And when we got there, the entrance area was already filled with excited families and students on field trip.
At the reception area, the audience was treated to an animal show before they proceeded to the tour. During the show, the crowd is treated to live interaction with a pig, a monkey or a snake. It is also during this point that the crowd is informed on the do’s and don’ts in the theme park.
Surrounding the reception area are Siberian and Bengal tigers hauled on big cages, and autographed photos of personalities who have been to the park and posed with tigers and other animals.
So far, there are more than 10 tigers in the park, with Natasha as the oldest tiger in the group.
But perhaps the most exciting part of being in the reception area is when you get to hold and feed Jimsu and Rhea, two tiger cubs that relax on a wooden board. Actually, you cannot play with these tiger cubs unless you’re trained to do it. But what you can do is put them on your lap, feed them and have your photo taken for a fee.
A trip down the area where animals are caged is another interesting part of Zoobic Park because of the wonderful information you learn from every animal in the park.
A tour guide provides enticing details about these animals. Reactions of "oohs!" and "aahs!" were heard whenever our guide would tell us an information about the animal.
You may want to know some of the interesting behavior of those in the animalandia:
* Insects shiver when its cold.
* Bear cats or musang are only active at night and they sleep during the day.
* White-breasted eagle have eight times clearer vision than human.
* Porcupines make love without any contact with their partners. The male porcupine just spray his urine in the genital of the female porcupine and presto! a baby porcupine is in the making.
* Squirrels can glide as high as 150 feet.
* A Malay civet cat is source of one of the most expensive coffees in the world.
* Palm civet cat is source of perfume substance.
* Ostrich can do a single kick which is five times equivalent to the kick of a horse.
* Celebes apes (local version of baboon) are in love when they show their behind which usually turn red.
Children and adults will also be interested to visit the Serpentarium where they can view snakes, lizards, iguanas, turtles and other cold-blooded animals.
There’s also the Rodent World which offers an amazing collection of rodents.
But nothing can be more thrilling than the tiger safari ride.
Riding the safari jeep reminded me of that scene from the Oscar-award winning movie called "Jurassic Park." Remember that scene in which Sir Richard Attenborough treated his niece and nephew by riding the jeep on a tour of the park filled with killer dinosaurs?
In the movie, we all know that the dinosaurs got wild and everything turned into a disaster. Perhaps not in Zoobic Park, where there are 15 zookeepers and trainors who are always ready to assist visitors particularly in the jeep ride.
Screams of excitement can be heard from passengers, especially women and children, as soon as the tigers surge toward the vehicle. If you want the tigers to approach your vehicle, better invite them with a dressed chicken which is carried by an animal. If the tigers are hungry, they might just surround the vehicle, rock it or jump on top of the jeep to catch the chicken bait.
Come December, Zoobic Park, owned by Robert Yuchengco, will add two more features and attractions for the growing number of visitors.
Delia De Jesus, general manager of Zoobic Safari, said that visitors will surely enjoy the adventures with crocodiles. "It’s called Croco Loco where visitors will enjoy an adventure with crocodiles. And then we will also open picnic grounds where families and barkadas can hangout."
Too bad that Australian TV naturalist and crocodile hunter Steve Irwin has gone to heaven. He may not be able to flirt with the crocs in "Croco Loco." But perhaps, looking from above, Irwin would be happy to see this development at Zoobic Park.
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
12:14 PM
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