Fossil Rim

A friend recommended this place about an hour southwest of Fort Worth: the Fossil Rim Wildlife Park. You drive through a 1700 acre park where African wildlife roams in "their near natural environment," so we grabbed our binoculars and set off. We needn't have bothered, with the binoculars, that is.

I never knew ostriches and emus could be so...friendly. Did I mention you buy a bag of food for $7.50?

As one big-eyed animal after another approached our car seeking handouts, I began to realize how bizarre it really is. And ethical?

Here there were these deer, with antlers worthy of any trophy room, walking up to pickup trucks like streetwalkers.

Families of zebra with the little ones in tow worked the road, while giraffes stuck their heads in through sun roofs.
The fall scenery was prettier than I ever thought the north central Texas prairie could be. The wooded grassland is a lot like the African savanna, which explains why the animals thrive here. On a warm (not hot) late afternoon November 1st everything was tinged in gold. Gwenny and I stuck our heads out the sunroof as we drove, taking it all in.

I wonder what AZA (association of zoos and aquariums) would have to say about feeding animals from cars when most parks don't even want you to feed the squirrels, but it was fun. And the animals were healthy, if perverse.

Giraffes have really soft lips.