Many of our visitors eagerly anticipate meeting the most fearsome species we display. This includes the magnificent African lion, one of the most distinctly recognizable predators on the planet. Not far behind is the Bengal tiger. With its unmistakable stripes and immense size, this creature has earned a formidable reputation. You can see both these big cats up close through their large glass viewing decks at Lake Tobias Wildlife Park. Another favorite with its fair share of admirers is the American black bear. Although these omnivorous creatures aren’t as large as other species, they can still reach an impressive stature of up to six feet tall and weighing over 500 pounds.
Weighing over a ton, our Asian water buffalo are massive, with extra-wide hoofs to keep them from sinking in swamps and mud. Check out the elands, the largest antelope in the world, which make an interesting clicking noise when they walk due to their split toes knocking together. Gemsbok antelope aren’t quite as large but have long, black horns that resemble a spear, only slightly spiraled. View our European fallow deer with their distinctive long tails and white spots along their backs and flanks. Our beautiful Grant’s zebra are the smallest of the plains zebra and wonderful to behold as they flash their unique stripes. Visitors love the newest members to our zoo, our three reticulated giraffes, which you can feed by hand if you arrive at snack time and purchase food at the Giraffe Feeding Station. Giraffes are the tallest land mammal on earth, reaching up to 18 feet tall, and just as no two zebras’ stripes are the same, no two giraffes’ spots are identical.
Lake Tobias is also home to many smaller mammals that have just as much personality as their larger relatives. Children of all ages enjoy the curious prairie dogs that enjoy popping up from the underground homes they build in their specialized exhibit. You can also check out the largest rodent in the world, the capybara, which can weigh in at 150 pounds and enjoy peacefully swimming in the lake while they watch park visitors. Visitors also marvel over the extremely laid-back two toed tree sloth, which spends most of its time hanging upside down in a tree, seldom moving from its preferred perch.
View some of the world’s most distinctive feathered friends like our amazing ostriches, a bird that is both flightless and astonishingly large. Another flightless bird, the rhea runs up to 40 miles per hour and astonishes guests when it uses its large wings for sudden stops or turns. Among our more elegant tenants is the East African crowned crane, which features an identifiable golden crest that radiates royalty. While navigating the park, visitors may even catch these flamboyant birds performing an energetic dance that’s part of their mating ritual. Equally elegant and famed for its stunning plumage, the peacock has long enchanted onlookers with its spread of iridescent feathers. The peacocks, along with various chickens and guinea, freely roam the park interacting with visitors.
Our pint-sized New World tamarins are rambunctious pranksters. These monkeys are full of energy, and visitors delight as they run wild and swing among the branches in our Reptiles & Exotics facility. Visitors also love our adorably tiny monkeys, the marmosets, which average only seven to eight inches tall and love to play and socialize with the rest of their troop. De Brazza monkeys become completely motionless when they feel threatened, and their ability to “freeze” can last up to eight hours. Our gibbons are a new addition to our zoo and are often mistaken for monkeys, but they’re actually apes with a humanlike build. Although they walk erect, they prefer swinging in the trees and have quickly become a park favorite due to their distinct singing and expressive faces.
We’re open daily May through Labor Day, Columbus Day, and every weekend in September and October. In order to experience all that Lake Tobias has to offer, we suggest you plan to spend 3½ - 4 hours while here.