If you’re a wildlife lover who dreams of getting up close to animals and hanging out with them. Then, Myrtle Beach Safari might just be a dreamy paradise for you. This beach park is in the region of South Carolina and promises to fascinate its visitors with the unique attractions along with the hands-on experience with the wildlife.
Myrtle Beach Wild Safari has been successful in drawing visitors from around the globe. Despite that, its interactive animal encounters have made it gain a strong following. You can enjoy the experience of bottle-feeding the tiger cubs and swimming with elephants. Not only this, you can also walk along with the wolves, making it one of the most unique things to do in Myrtle Beach.
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While the wildlife park is popular for its thrilling animal encounters, it also faces its share of controversy. The founder, Doc Antle, has been in some serious legal trouble, including the facility. They have all faced criticism from animal rights groups. So, is it a must-visit wildlife venture, or does it raise many ethical red flags? Let’s dig into Animal Safari Myrtle Beach and find out.
Myrtle Beach Safari – Tours & Experiences
You can find multiple tour options at Myrtle Beach Wildlife Safari, specially designed to fulfill the purpose of providing guests with an up-close experience with the fascinating animals. The tours and experiences are below, which may help you to expect as a visitor here:
1. Day Safari Tour
The main attraction of Myrtle Safari is the Day Safari Tour. It allows guests to interact with a wide range of animals. These animals include tigers, elephants, wolves, and chimpanzees.
Therefore, this interaction gives you one of the most immersive experiences you could have ever asked for. You can also engage in activities like feeding and petting the animals under the supervision of trained staff. During your tour, you will be able to find guides sharing their knowledge about the animals’ natural habitats.
An unforgettable experience that entertains and educates you at the same time. Also, you can have insights about several other things like animals’ behaviors. Visitors may witness unique demonstrations, just like watching the tigers swim and play.
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2. Night Safari Experience
The Night Safari is perfect for those looking for a more intimate and magical adventure. This takes your trip to another level and lets you interact with the nocturnal animals, besides enjoying a campfire setting on another level.
The purpose of designing this wildlife park is to give you the experience of having a look at the behaviors of creatures that are most active at nighttime. This will give you an idea of their behaviors, habits, and routines. You may also interact with wildlife which is mostly active at night
While there is a different perspective from the daytime tours. It has an intimate setting that creates a mysterious and thrilling atmosphere. The nature trek is among the popular choices for visitors and is ideal in every way to experience something unique.
3. VIP Private Encounters
For an ultra-personalized adventure, VIP Private Encounters are provided at this Animal Adventure Park for the visitors. These are specifically for those who want a unique and special encounter with animals in the wild.
This is a package that allows guests to spend extended time with the wildlife on the safari. Private sessions and exclusive photo opportunities are some of the expensive options while on such exclusive safari tours.
You can also get a chance to participate in feeding sessions with animals where you are instructed well on how and what to feed the animals. So, you can enjoy the experience of feeding the animals with your hand.
Moreover, you can have more in-depth moments with baby tigers and chimpanzees. You can enjoy the sight of these exotic creatures, make memories, and experience the uniqueness of subjective presence in the wildlife.
4. Photo & Video Opportunities
Photography and videography are an integral part of the jungle adventure experience.
The guests can have an opportunity to capture professional-quality images of the world’s most exotic animals.
You may take photos with tigers, baby chimpanzees, and other exotic animals, which later become cherishable memories.
Many of these moments are featured on social media. By this, the attraction gains popularity. It also helps to draw more visitors who are eagerly waiting to document their close encounters with animals.
For more details, visit the official website of Myrtle Beach Safari.
Visitor Information
The essential information for a visitor is in the following points:
Ticket Prices & Booking Details
The Wildlife Park only allows guests with reservations. Ticket prices vary based on the type of experience chosen:
- Day Safari Tour: $389 per person
- Night Safari Experience: Prices available upon request
- VIP Private Encounters: Pricing varies based on customized packages
Best Times to Visit
You may find some of the best times of year here at Animal Adventure Park. Mild weather in between spring and fall is the best time to visit here.
You can get extremely hot temperatures in the summer. This is uncomfortable for some visitors to enjoy outdoor activities. It is less crowdy on weekdays, while the weekends are rushy.
Rules & Safety Guidelines
The facility serves in ways to make sure the visitors and animals are provided with sufficient safety. Myrtle’s Safari incorporated strict rules, including:
- No outside food or drinks
- No flash photography
- No sudden movements around animals
Guests must follow the instructions of staff at all times.
Public Perception & Ethical Concerns
Each year, Myrtle Beach Wild Safari attracts thousands of people. Yet, they have faced scrutiny from animal rights groups like PETA. Critics argue that the facility exploits animal welfare by prioritizing entertainment. However, still claims that hands-on interactions can cause stress and that its breeding programs may not align with ethical conservation.
Legal Issues
Doc Antle, the founder of Myrtle Beach Safari, was charged with federal crimes for wildlife trafficking and money laundering. This happened in the year 2020. The case led to concerns about the ethical practices of the wildlife tour and whether the animals were given proper treatment.
Additionally, Antle has also been under accusation of other allegations of illegally transporting and selling rare species. This raised more doubts regarding the true mission of Exotic Animal Preserve. Legal battles surrounding the facility have sparked discussions about whether such attractions should be more heavily regulated.
PETA’s Stance
Safari Myrtle Beach is strongly opposed by PETA, which accuses it of exploiting animals for profit while ignoring their natural needs. PETA is an organization that has run campaigns trying to persuade people. While avoiding the facility, citing issues with breeding, handling, and habitat conditions.
PETA claims that many animals at the facility are there only for public interaction, not for true conservation. The organization also has concerns about what happens to the animals once they can no longer be available for public encounters.
Visitor Reviews
Despite the controversy, many visitors leave positive reviews about their experiences at the wildlife park. There are sites like TripAdvisor, where you may find a mix of five-star ratings on the wildlife experience. However, it is praised a lot, while the one-star reviews criticize the treatment of animals.
Those who are in support of the safari argue that the facility is providing an unparalleled experience. Later on, this allows people to develop a deep appreciation for wildlife. Thus, many guests claim that the staff is knowledgeable and the animals appear well cared for. However, critics point out that the full reality of animals’ lives cannot be reflected in just a brief tour. Instead, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes.
Conclusion
An undeniably thrilling attraction that won’t fail to provide you with the rarest animal encounters. Those considering a holiday here must carefully think about the pros and cons. The legal controversies and ethical dilemmas cannot be ignored at any cost.
Ultimately, for some, it may be an opportunity to connect with the animals, while others may question whether these interactions are truly a benefit for animals or not. Therefore, the concern is to appreciate the wildlife in the best ways possible.
FAQs
Myrtle Beach Animal Safari showcased itself as a place where humans and animals can interact positively. However, there are concerns regarding the potentially negative impacts on animal welfare and their natural behaviors. So, before visiting here, the visitors should consider the ethical implications of such interactions and research about the safari’s practices.
The love and bond given to the animals by the caregivers leads them to develop a sense of familiarity and trust. The nature trek fostered a positive environment for the animals by involving them in activities like animal nature walks, swimming, games, and toys.
Some tiger moms are observed not properly taking care of their babies, like cleaning or feeding them. They even abandon their offspring when they go out hunting. This leaves them to die due to starvation, predation, or many other reasons. Not all mothers are neglectful, some tigers prove to be great moms. Tiger cubs who grow up under the supervision of humans at the jungle adventure come up with lower stress levels and greater health as compared to cubs raised in traditional zoos.
The animals move freely from one environment to another, much as they would if living in the wild. The MBS staff offers animal residents the best in dietary and veterinary care, and staff members live at the preserve to ensure that animals are tended to every hour of every day.
So, would you like to visit Myrtle Beach Safari? Let us know your thoughts!
