WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF CUTENESS TAKES HOLD IN SAN DIEGO ZOO SAFARI PARK PETTING KRAAL

Kids Love Meeting New Kids

     The Petting Kraal at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park got a whole new feel this week when it re-opened with new, cuddly animals for children to enjoy. With three kinds of small goats, the Petting Kraal has become a place where kids meet kids!

     There are now six Boer goats, nine pygmy goats and two Nubian goats in the Petting Kraal. Having domesticated animals in the Petting Kraal, rather than the Eld's deer, Persian gazelle and blackbuck antelope, allows children to be more hands-on with the animals. At least three more pygmy goats that were born on July 14 will join the fun in the next few months.

     "Children who come to the Petting Kraal at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park will be able to feed and brush the goats," said Danielle Leffler, a Safari Park mammal keeper. "The goats all have very distinct personalities and can be pretty goofy at times."

     The deer and gazelle that were in the Petting Kraal have new homes at the Park. The seven Eld's deer live in the Central African field exhibit and one of the Persian gazelles is in the 60-acre Asian Plains field exhibit. The blackbuck antelope and the other Persian gazelle are now nannies to baby animals in the Park's nursery. The change of animals was made after the Petting Kraal shrank slightly to accommodate a larger rhino nursery.

     The Petting Kraal is open from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. daily at the Park. Additionally, children will love the many activities and performances during the Safari Park's Summer Safari: African Extravaganza, which is being held through Aug. 21. During the celebration, the Park is open until 7 each night. Children can create beaded necklaces and decorate safari hats in the African Activities Plaza with African artisans. Also, from 4 to 7 p.m. each day, guests will have an opportunity to make their own African music. Ethiopian pole climbers spin and leap. Tanzanian and Kenyan acrobats turn into human pyramids and go very, very low with the limbo. A singer from Guyana belts out beautiful music, and a South African drummer beats an enchanting rhythm.