Chestatee Wildlife Preserve & Zoo — Attraction in Dahlonega

Earlier today we went to the Chestatee Wildlife "Preserve" and "Zoo". First off, the facility is not up to par with "zoo" regulations and taking proper safety precautions for their visitors. When you go to the website the first picture you see is of three beautiful Siberian Tigers in luscious green grass, and when arriving to the facility you would expect to see happy and well cared for animals in a beautiful environment that is large enough for them. Once you arrive at the "preserve" that was not the case. We saw a Siberian Tiger that was in a cage that was extremely too small for her and the ground inside was a slab of cement which heats up very quickly in this Georgia heat. There is a grizzly and a black bear in an enclosed area with an inadequate amount of drinking water, and no shade what-so-ever to accommodate the nearly 90 degree weather. The lack of water and shade is not just noticed in the bear enclosure, but in most other enclosures as well. We also noticed the black bear was in distress due to the fact that she seemed to be separated from her cub which was kept in another closed off cage. We believe the facility should be able to provide an enclosure that would accommodate a mother and cub being kept together... otherwise please consider giving them to another facility that would be able to do so. This institution also lacks an immense amount of enrichment for these animals which is a crucial aspect of keeping an animals mental and physical health good while in captivity due to the fact that they are not in the natural environments and habitats. They need to be able to live their lives as naturally as possible like any other wild animal. And unfortunately, this facility does not seem to be providing those experiences for them. The conditions of the animals in general were appalling and upsetting and this facility would fail to receive accreditation from the AZA. While AZA is not required for "zoos" to operate, it does reflect poorly on those who do not meet their standards. We hope that the conditions will be improved and/or see these animals given to another organization that can provide better lives for them. This is not an attack on the people who work here. This is simply us expressing our concerns for the well being of the beautiful animals that...

I recently visited this preserve. I made the hour drive from my home town expecting a pleasant experience. When I arrived, there was nobody at the admissions place. I had to call a number to get assistance, however no-one picked up. It seemed like the line was out of service because it did not ring, in fact it went straight to voicemail. I waited outside in the extreme heat for about 15 minutes before a teenager driving a golf cart showed up. She did not acknowledge me or the other visitors that were waiting, nor did she offer an apology. After paying, the teenager left and we weren't informed anything regarding where to go or any of the amenities. The paths were under construction but were manageable, not safe for elderly individuals or those who possess walking difficulties. The directions to navigate the trails were very confusing and they did not offer much information.

The staff were nowhere to be found and the place seemed very unsupervised. I saw like 4 teenagers driving a golf cart, but they never spoke to the visitors nor did they attend to the animals during my visit. I understand that there are signs that we can feed the animals on our own risk as some can bite, but say an accident occurred, there were no staff on site to assist. It seemed like the teenagers were the only ones there. I wonder where the adults or owners were?

I loved seeing the animals as I have always been an animal lover. I think that some of the sites were very dirty and I felt bad for the animals. The horses did not have food or water in their food containers. The zebras seemed very dehydrated from the extreme summer heat and I could not find a source of water in their preserve. It was hard to see many animals as they are in a cage far from the fence where we stand. The monkeys seems to have limited space to move same as the bears. The alligator seems to only have a small water area. It was sad to see many of the animals in their preserve.

I had high hopes for this preserve, however, it was a sad disapointment. The zoo surly has potential, but there needs to be better management. I have seen several responses from the owner negating these claims. I am a true visitor and want to express my freedom to express my opinion...

I really loved this zoo! It’s so homey and I felt that all the animals were loved. The atmosphere was great and I loved feeding all the animals with hoofs. They were all so sweet! So many zebras, donkeys and horses! A hilarious bison who loves to be fed. Beautiful long horns. My friend and I passed by and visited the Siberian tigers 3 times before we left and were lucky to see them all 3 times. It’s best to see them in the morning when it’s cool. The monkeys were so sweet and talkative and yes they are in very large fences in lower so they are separate. This for their safety people. I saw nothing negative about this zoo. I love going to zoos and I have been to some very bad small town zoos and while this place isn’t a corporate paid zoo with millions of dollars it’s a beautiful place that I can tell loves their animals. The nasty reviews on here I do not understand. All of the animals were beautiful and well fed and were all very happy and extremely friendly. Even the alligator looked happy! I saw him sun bathing in his pool! They have a clear map to take a photo of when you walk in but you do not need it. There are a ton of arrows and signs along the way to guide you. They also do have hand washing stations and porta potties. Which who cares if they have porta potties than a full restroom. I rather that they spend the money on caring for their animals which is obvious their main focus. It was 15 for a ticket and 5 for feeding the animals. Definitely a great deal and I had so much fun! I really want to go back with my boyfriend soon so he can see the animals as well. They also have lemurs, a lot of different birds around the zoo, bunnies and turtles. I may be forgetting some as well. If you’re in the Gainesville area this is definitely...