Wild Animal Safari - Springfield/Strafford, Missouri — Attraction in Marshfield

What an amazing place! We were on the first bus that took us out to feed the animals. Highly recommend buying one bag of food per person that is interested in feeding the animals. Sharing a bag between two people that want to feed the animals it's just not enough lol At the time that we went it was $6.75 per bag. I was also picking up all the pieces that the little kids dropped on the floor and on the ground in the walkthrough area after they left. Not trying to waste any of it and the Animals definitely want it. This food is only for animals that have hooves, and if you want the food to feed the monkeys and other things in the walkthrough you will have to purchase that separately inside the gift shop. I highly recommend getting some of that because there are animals that are definitely expecting you to give them treats through the little PVC pipe that leads straight to them!! I am so thrilled that I got to feed and pet the bison, giraffe, zebra, and the other animals that came up. What an experience! I'm about the same age as this place and I never knew about it until this year. You can bring your lunch and eat it at the picked tables under the big shade tree. They have lots and lots of picnic tables so don't worry about not having a place to sit. Our tour guide on the bus was just an amazing woman that knew all about the animals and their names! Make sure you give her a nice tip 😊 I've been to the zoo several times in St Louis in my lifetime and always thought it was great but this really does beat that. I can remember two instances at the zoo that were awesome and that was when I got to pet the giant python and the arctic fox. Oh yeah, make sure you hold tight to your bag of animal feed when you come anywhere close to the camel's or the ostrich, because they will straight try to take the entire bag! We saw a camel reach its head into somebody's vehicle and take the entire bag out of the car!!! The ostrich tried to grab my bag but I had a tight hold on it. I wanted it to eat some of the food inside of the bus but I didn't want to lose the whole thing. She got a big bite of food and then I hid the bag away from her.

Later that day we went to fantastic caverns, buc-ee's, and The Candy Factory but none of it compared to this experience. I would love to come back here! But I would definitely bring my...

We visited this last Saturday as the weather was perfect. There were several things we really loved about it and a few things that could definitely be improved! I'll start with our favs. Tumbleweed and Blossom, the 2 Giraffes were so fun to interact with! (No, we did not purchase the added giraffe encounter. We were able to walk straight up to them!) The monkeys were fun to watch and feed! (tip they prefer the fruit loops. 😉) The drive-through was so cool! This was our first drive-through zoo, and it did not disappoint! I bag of feed per person will suffice if you aren't too generous with it. If you drive your own vehicle, you do risk damage with these large animals and their long horns. Surprisingly, they were very careful navigating around our car, but Im sure accidents do happen. Feeding the donkeys, camels, and buffalo were some highlights! Oh, and I couldn't believe how gentle they were taking the food! We walked through first, then the drive, then came back to see if the big cats were awake. (No such luck. ) It took us 4ish hours to do it all, but we had plans, or we would have stayed longer! Just a couple of things we were not so impressed with. The reptile exhibit was less than impressive and needed a good cleaning! It was so dark, and the glass was pretty gross. Also, I thought it was odd that the sloth was the reptile building. That enclosed smelled awful and was so dark we had to look hard to see what was even in there. Better lighting! Lastly, the big cats enclosure was way too small. They were the smallest we have seen. (I did read that this project is on their list, though) Overall, it ws a great experience and we will be back! Probably when Blossom has her baby...

We had a fantastic time at Wild Animal Safari, especially during the capybara experience. Interacting with these gentle animals was a highlight of our visit, and it was clear that the caretaker truly loved and cared for them. He was knowledgeable, patient, and made the experience feel personal and meaningful. We were even given a cup of treats to feed the capybaras, which made the encounter extra special.

When we arrived at the park, the gate attendant was very friendly and gave us clear directions, which made for a smooth start. However, once we reached the gift shop to check in, the service was less welcoming. The two young women behind the counter didn’t acknowledge us when we walked in and continued their conversation. After we explained we were there for the capybara experience, they did look up our reservation but gave only vague directions after instructing us to wash our hands. A bit more engagement and clearer instructions would’ve gone a long way in improving the check-in experience.

While the animal experience itself was wonderful, we did notice that some of the enclosures seemed quite small. It’s obvious that the staff cares about the animals—especially the caretaker we met—but it’s also apparent that the facility could benefit from more funding or space. That said, the animals generally looked healthy and well cared for, which we appreciated.

Overall, we loved the hands-on experience with the capybaras and truly commend the dedication of the animal care staff. With some improvements to guest services and enclosure space, this could be an even more exceptional...