Native: Asia
The Asiatic water buffalo is a large bovine (cow) species, capable of reach over 2,000 pounds as adults. They make use of bodies of water to assist with cooling the body, conditioning skin, and mud baths for insect and sun repellent. You may spot our cows with calves at their sides! Gestation lasts (on average) 10-months! Domesticated water buffalo are a source of milk and meat, and are often used as beasts of burden – working in agricultural capacities.Did you know?
Authentic Mozzarella Cheese, called Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, is made from the milk of water buffalo! Water buffalo were introduced to southern Italy in the 6th century!
Native: India
The brahman cattle have a high tolerance of heat, sunlight and humidity, and good resistance to parasites. It has been exported to many countries, particularly in the tropics for these reasons. It is resistant to insects thanks to its thick skin. All Bos indicus cattle including the Brahman are characterized by a large hump over the top of the shoulder and neck. They have an abundance of loose skin which is thought to contribute to its ability to withstand warm weather by increasing the body surface area exposed to cooling.Did you know?
The Brahman breed (also known as Brahma) originated from Bos indicus cattle from India, the "sacred cattle of India"!
Native: India
Zebu are characterized by a fatty hump on their shoulders, a large dewlap, and sometimes drooping ears. They are well adapted to withstanding high temperatures, and are farmed throughout the tropical countries. Zebu are used as draft and riding animals, dairy and meat, as well as for byproducts such as hides and dung for fuel and manure. The Preserve is home to a large herd of miniature zebu, more commonly kept on hobby farms than production farms. Many of our cows produce calves, having an almost 10-month gestation!Did you know?
Miniature zebu generally max out at a total of only 600 pounds!
Native: Scotland
Scottish highland cattle have long, wide horns and long, wavy, woolly coats. The usual coat color is reddish brown, seen in approximately 60% of the population; some 22% are yellow, and the remainder pale silver, black or brindle/dun. They have an unusual double coat of hair. On the outside is the oily outer hair—the longest of any cattle breed, covering a downy undercoat. This makes them well suited to conditions in the Highlands, which have a high annual rainfall and sometimes very strong winds.
Did you know?
In 1954, Queen Elizabeth ordered Highland cattle to be kept at Balmoral Castle where they are still kept today.
Native: Tibet
Yak are appropriately equipped with long shaggy hair, with a dense woolly undercoat over the chest, flanks, and thighs to insulate them from the cold. Especially in bulls, this may form a long "skirt" that can reach the ground. The tail is long and horse-like rather than tufted like the tails of cattle or bison. Yak are adapted to cold higher altitudes, boasting larger lungs and heart than lower altitude cattle, allowing them to producing a greater oxygen capacity in their blood. They have also adapted to the sparse food sources of higher altitudes, requiring only 1% of their body weight a day in consumption versus the 3% requirement of other cattle!
Did you know?
Yaks are not known to produce the characteristic low (mooing) sound of cattle, instead, both wild and domestic yaks grunt and squeak, which inspired the scientific name of the domestic yak variant, Bos grunniens (grunting bull).
Native: India
The nilgai is the largest antelope of Asia, and is ubiquitous across the northern Indian subcontinent. Males are referred to as “Blue Bulls” because of their slate gray/blue coat grown upon pubescence. Females and immature calves produce a brown coat. Gestation lasts eight to nine months, following which a single calf or twins (even triplets at times) are born. Females and calves do not regularly interact with bulls other than the mating season. Groups are generally small, with ten or fewer individuals.
Did you know?
Males of the species have horns, while females do not.
Native: Europe & Western Asia
The red deer, most closely related to the American elk, is one of the largest (4th largest) deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or hart, and a female is called a hind. The males, stags, grow a short neck mane during the fall rut (breeding) season. They also produce and impressive antler set (rack), unlike the females of the species. The rack velvet is shed for rut, and the rack is entirely dropped at the end of winter – quickly starting regrowth in the spring! Males can achieve over 500 pounds, with females reaching 350 pounds on average.
Did you know?
Red deer migrate! In Europe, they generally spend their winters at lower altitudes in more wooded terrain. During the summer, they migrate to higher elevations where food supplies are greater and better for the calving season.
Native: East Asia
The sika deer, is also known as the Northern spotted deer or the Japanese deer. They are one of the few deer species that does not lose their spots upon reaching maturity. Their original territory of origin can be deciphered by the appearance and pattern of their spots. Sika males are territorial and keep harems of females during their rut, which peaks from early September through November, but may last well into the winter. Females give birth to a single fawn. Keep your eyes open, just off our roadways! The mother hides her fawn in thick undergrowth immediately after giving birth, and the fawn stays very quiet and still while it waits until the mother returns to nurse it.Did you know?
Japan is overrun with Sika deer!
Native: Central Asia
The Bactrian camel has two humps on its back, in contrast to the single-humped dromedary. They are extremely well adapted, and resistant to cold, drought, and hardships of high altitudes. This prompted their domestication as pack animals to travel in caravans, carrying goods in their harsh natural ranges. They can easily achieve a height of 7 feet at the top of their humps and weigh an impressive 1-ton (2,000 pounds). The shaggy winter coat is shed extremely rapidly, with huge sections peeling off at once, appearing as if sloppily shorn. Coat growth occurs seasonally to protect them from temperature changes.Did you know?
The two humps on the back are composed of fat, not water, as is sometimes thought.
Native: Sicily, Sardinia
Sicilian donkeys, also known as Mediterranean donkeys, Sardinian donkeys, or miniature donkeys, are from the islands of Sicily and Sardinia in Italy. They are nearly extinct in their land of origin, but are now prevalent in the United States. They have a dark mane extending to a stripe down their back and another across their shoulders, forming the shape of a cross. This patterning has given the Sicilian donkey the nickname “the holy cross donkey”. Donkeys are quite intelligent animals, making them less likely to frighten than their equine cousins, easily trained, and generally willing companions. They are capable of living in a wide variety of habitats all over the world.Did you know?
True Sicilian donkeys stand no higher than 36” at the shoulder!
Native: Austrailia
The emu is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. Members of the four genera of large extant ratites includes ostrich, emu, rhea, and cassowary! Emus are diurnal (daytime active) birds and spend their day foraging, preening their plumage with their beak, dust bathing and resting. Emus do vocalize! Booming and drumming sounds are done by females, often during breeding season, and can be heard up to a mile away! “Burping” and grunting is done by males. It is used principally during the breeding season in territorial defense, as a threat to other males, during courtship and while the female is layingDid you know?
Female emu can lay several clutches of emerald/aqua eggs in a season, with the male incubating the nest.
Native: India
Peafowl are a species/member of the pheasant family. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are referred to as peahens. Males boast a long train of feathers and vivid coloring, while females are drabber in appearance, which helps camouflage them while sitting nests. Peafowl are forest birds that nest on the ground, but roost in trees. They are omnivorous terrestrial (ground) feeders. These behaviors quite comparable to the wild turkey of North America.Did you know?
Peacocks will shed their trains (tail feathers) during a molt. They quickly begin to regrow into the impressive displays that can be 5 feet in length!
Native: North America
The American bison is the largest surviving terrestrial animal in North America! Bulls can obtain almost 3,000 pounds! American bison are known for living in the Great Plains, but formerly had a much larger range, including much of the eastern United States and parts of Mexico. They were hunted close to extinction during the 19th and 20th centuries, but have since rebounded.Warning: Bison temperament is often unpredictable. They usually appear peaceful, unconcerned, even lazy, yet they may attack anything, often without warning or apparent reason. They can move at speeds up to 35 mph and cover long distances at a lumbering gallop
Did you know?
After 9-month gestation, females will produce a red rust colored calf, known as “red dogs”.
Native: North America
Elk are one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae. Male elk have large antlers which they shed each year. Males also engage in ritualized mating behaviors during the rut, including posturing, antler wrestling (sparring), and bugling, a loud series of vocalizations that establishes dominance over other males and attracts females. Our elk can be caught bugling in the Fall! They range in forest and forest-edge habitat, feeding on grasses, plants, leaves, and bark – The Preserve being a perfect habitat for them!Did you know?
Elk are also known as "wapiti", derived from a Shawnee and Cree word meaning "white rump"!
Native: Europe
While the fallow deer is not native to the Americas, it was selected to inhabit this paddock of The Preserve for visual representation and ecological balance of that of the native wild white-tailed deer. Much like white-tailed deer, only the buck produce antlers, however the fallow has a palm-like appearance to their rack versus the pointed tines of the white-tailed deer. Our herd consists of many bucks and does, and will boom with fawns in the spring! Colors range from their traditional spotted tawney color, to chocolate brown, and even leucistic white.Did you know?
Bucks will spar during Fall rut, victors of these competitions, reserving the breeding rights to does in the herd. Rest assured, serious injury and/or death rarely occurs from these displays.
Native: North America
The Texas Longhorn is an American breed of beef cattle, characterized by its long horns, which can span more than 8 ft from tip to tip! After being developed from cattle brought to the Americas from the second voyage of Christopher Columbus, some cattle escaped or were turned loose on the open range, where they remained mostly feral for the next two centuries. Over several generations, descendants of these cattle developed to have high feed- and drought-stress tolerances and other "hardy" characteristics that have given Longhorns their reputation as hardy, high yield livestock.
Did you know?
In 2022 the Guinness Book of Records reported the longest spread of cattle horns (on a living animal) to be: 127.4 inches, or just over 10 ½ feet long – tip to tip!
Native: Domesticated
The burro, or more commonly known donkey, is a member of the Equidae (horse) family. Over 6,000 years ago, the burro was domesticated as a working animal. An adult male donkey is a jack or jackass, an adult female is a jenny or jennet, and an immature donkey of either sex is a foal. Jacks are often mated with female horses (mares) to produce mules. Mules vary widely in size, and may be of any color. They are more patient, hardier and longer-lived than horses, and are perceived as less obstinate and more intelligent than donkeys
Did you know?
There are more than 40 million donkeys in the world!
Native: South America
Llamas are members of the camelid family, and considered a domestic (not wild) species. They are used as pack animals, guardian animals, and their coats sheered for fiber. Llama have a well-known response for “spitting” at perceived threats. One may determine how agitated the llama is by the materials in the spit. The more irritated the llama is, the further back into each of the three stomach compartments it will try to draw materials from for its spit. After an 11.5 month gestation, a single baby is produced, known as a cria.
Did you know?
When using a pack, they can carry about 25 to 30% of their body weight for up to 8 miles.
Native: South America
The alpaca is a species of camelid, and is considered domestic. It is similar to, and often confused with, the llama. However, alpacas are often noticeably smaller than llamas. The two animals are closely related and can successfully crossbreed. Both species are believed to have been domesticated from their wild relatives, the vicuña and guanaco. Alpaca are most commonly kept for their soft fiber, requiring shearing annually to maintain the integrity of their coat and to properly thermoregulate the body.
Did you know?
There are two breeds of alpaca: the Suri alpaca and the Huacaya alpaca.
Native: South America
Rhea are a species of ratite, members of the group of flightless birds. Rheas tend to be silent birds, with the exception being when they are chicks or when the male is seeking a mate. During breeding season, the male will attempt to attract females by calling with a loud booming noise. While calling like this, they will lift the front of their body, ruffle their plumage, all while keeping their neck stiff. They will then extend and raise their wings, and run short distances, alternating with their wings. After mating, the male builds a nest, in which each female lays her eggs in turn. The nest consists of a simple scrape in the ground, lined with grass and leaves. The male incubates from ten to sixty eggs. The male will use a decoy system and place some eggs outside the nest and sacrifice these to predators, so that they do not attempt to get inside the nest. The male may use another subordinate male to incubate his eggs, while he finds another harem to start a second nest. Flocks are generally between 20 to 25 birds in size.
Did you know?
For the most part, rheas are herbivorous, but will enjoy insects such as grasshoppers, and small reptiles and rodents from time to time!
Native: North America
Wild turkeys prefer hardwood and mixed conifer-hardwood forests with scattered openings such as pastures, fields, orchards and seasonal marshes. The Preserve is the perfect setting! Only the males, Toms or Gobblers, display the impressive fan tail and grow a "beard" from their chest - both means of which to show status and attract females. Females, hens, lack the impressive tails and beards.
Did you know?
Despite their weight, wild turkeys, are agile and fast fliers! They are low fliers and able to advance up to a quarter of a mile while in flight!
Native: South America
Guanacos are one of two wild South American camelids; the other species is the vicuña. When the male detects danger, he warns the group by bleating. Speed is important for the survival of guanacos because they cannot easily hide in the open grasslands. They can achieve up to 40 mph!
Did you know?
Guanacos are one of the largest terrestrial mammals native to South America today!
Native: Africa
The scimitar oryx is an antelope species that was once widespread across North Africa. In 2000, it was declared extinct in the wild. Captive management programs and controlled reintroductions/rewilding efforts has them returning to native ranges in recent years. They inhabited semideserts and deserts and were adapted to live in extreme heat, with their efficient cooling mechanism and very low requirement of water. Their “cooling mechanisms” would be their sun-reflective white coats and circulatory system that helps cool the blood, regulating the body temperature. Both males and females display straight horns that can reach up to 3 feet in length!
Did you know?
The myth of the one-horned unicorn may have originated from sightings of injured scimitar oryxes, missing one of their horns. They do not regenerate if lost.
Native: Africa
Eland antelope are the largest species of antelope in the world! Bulls can stand over 5 feet at the shoulder, and easily obtain the weight of 1-ton (2,000 pounds). The eland is a spiraled-horned antelope species, with both bulls and cows displaying impressive horns reaching close to 30 inches long. While they are the largest antelope, they are also the slowest – only achieving speeds of up to 25/mph. That said, they are impressive jumpers for their size, capable of clearing 8-foot heights, from a standing start if startled.
Did you know?
The eland is used by humans for leather, meat, and milk, and has been domesticated in many areas of Africa. Eland milk contains more butterfat than cow's milk, and can keep longer without pasteurizing.
Native: Africa
Aoudad, or Barbary sheep, are in fact sheep despite their goat-like appearance! Most at home in the mountains of North Africa, the species is well adapted to maneuver rocky outcrops, and ledges. They have an impressive vertical jump, allowing them to navigate the most daunting of mountain challenges. Males achieve a significantly larger physical size than females, with more pronounced horns, and the growth of a long beard down their necks to the chest.
Did you know?
Aoudads spend much of their time grazing and browsing. They are able to get their water from the plants they eat and can go around five days without a drink.
Native: Africa
Holy Cow! Look at those horns! The horns are unusually large, with a wide spread, boasting the largest circumference found in any cattle breed. The horns are vascular, allowing the watusi to cool the body by releasing body heat, through the blood stream as it travels through the honey-comb like integrity of the massive horns. Watusi may be a number of different colors, but is usually red as the base and most prominent color. Watusi are able to utilize poor quality forage and limited quantities of food and water. These survival abilities have allowed them as a breed to not only survive, but thrive, for centuries in Africa.
Did you know? The Cattle of Kings.
The species was created with a special attitude, unique traits and characteristics that have gone on undaunted over an estimated 8000 years.
Native: North Africa & Middle East
The dromedary camel is the one-humped camel, tallest of the camel species, they can achieve an impressive 6-7 feet at the shoulder, and a whopping 9-10’ at the crest of the hump! Dromedary camel are specially adapted to their desert habitat; these adaptations are aimed at conserving water and regulating body temperature. The bushy eyebrows and the double row of eyelashes prevent sand and dust from entering the eyes during strong windstorms, and shield them from the sun's glare. The dromedary is able to close its nostrils voluntarily. The dromedary can tolerate greater than 30% water loss, which is generally impossible for other mammals. In temperatures between 86 and 104 °F, it needs water every 10 to 15 days. In the hottest temperatures, the dromedary takes water every four to seven days. Dromedary camel gestation is approximately 15-months long, and produce a single calf.
Did you know?
The hump stores up to 80 pounds of fat, which the camel can break down into energy to meet its needs when resources are scarce; the hump also helps dissipate body heat!
Native: Africa
Ostrich are the largest of the flightless bird group known as ratites! They are capable of running over 40 mph, rather impressive for a bird that can grow between 250-300 pounds, at a height of 9-feet tall! Ostriches’ wings reach a span of about 6 feet and are used in mating displays, to shade chicks, to cover the naked skin of the upper legs and flanks to conserve heat, and as “rudders” to help them change direction while running. When threatened and unable to run, their long legs are capable of killing a human or a potential predator like a lion with a forward kick. Males display a black plumage, while females display a grey/tan plumag
Did you know?
The massive ostrich egg is equivalent to as many as two dozen chicken eggs, though they are actually the smallest eggs relative to the size of the adult bird.
Native: Africa
The African goose is a breed of domestic goose. Despite the name, it is not from Africa but is of Asiatic origin. It is amongst the heaviest bodied geese breeds!
Though native to Asia, they enjoy our large watering hole in the Africa section of The Preserve!
Did you know?
African geese are capable of laying up to 25 eggs in a year!
Native: Africa
The donkey is a domesticated equine. It derives from the African wild ass. Donkeys are quite intelligent animals, making them less likely to frighten than their equine cousins, easily trained, and generally willing companions. They are capable of living in a wide variety of habitats all over the world.
Did you know?
The African wild ass is critically endangered with less than 600 remaining in the wild.
Native: Africa
Guineafowl often follow herds of animals, enjoying the insects drawn to the herds and their waste! Though a ground dwelling species, they are capable of flight, often used to escape the risk of fires in their natural ranges.
Did you know?
Guineafowl are often used in barn yards to help alert animals, and people, to the threat of predators - using their loud and unmistakable alarm call!
Native: Africa
Reticulated giraffe are a giraffe subspecies that live in open woodlands and wooded grasslands in Somalia, northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia. There are a total of nine subspecies of giraffes that call Africa home. Giraffes are herbivores; with a staple of Acacia, Commiphora, and Terminalia leaves in their diet. Giraffes feed by browsing, which typically means they eat continuously throughout the day. The giraffe uses its massive tongue (up to 18 in long) to scrape off the leaves of tree branches, consuming; thorns, bark, bugs and anything else on the branch. Reticulated giraffes are ruminants, just like cattle, and their stomachs have four parts. During the day, when the animal is not feeding, giraffes chew cud, from the stomach chambers, further aiding in digestion. Giraffes are the tallest mammal, capable of reaching 18 feet in height, and typically live about 25 years in the wild. During their lives, males tend to be nomadic, coming and going from small groups of female giraffes for mating purposes. Otherwise, male giraffes tend to prefer a bachelor life style. When males converge on accepting females, they will engage in a fight behavior called “necking”. This is when two male giraffes swing their massive necks, striking each other, using their horns (ossicones), to subdue and defeat their opposition. Female giraffe have a gestation of up to 15 months. Calves are born six feet tall and weigh 200 lbs. The calves are on their feet in less than an hour, after falling seven feet from their mother during birth. Each giraffe is born with a unique pattern on their skin. Much like a snow flake, no two giraffes are identical. The reticulated giraffe has the most colorful and unique markings of the nine subspecies. Giraffes have very few natural predators due to their enormous size; but may fall victim to lions, hyenas, and even crocodiles. The giraffe is well equipped with a deadly kick that is capable of killing attackers. The true threat to giraffes is man. Poachers harvest giraffe for their hair, skin, and meat. Animal Adventure welcomed giraffes in May 2015; after a 50 year absence of exhibition in Broome County. Animal Adventure went viral with the live-streaming birth of Tajiri the Giraffe to parents Oliver & April in 2017. Since 2017, the park has welcomed a 2nd calf Azizi, also sired by Oliver and born to mom April.
Native: South Africa
The southern white rhinoceros is one of the two subspecies of the white rhinoceros (the other being the much rarer northern white rhinoceros). It is the most common and widespread subspecies of rhinoceros. The southern white rhino is one of largest and heaviest land animals in the world. It has an immense body and large head, a short neck and broad chest. Females weigh around 3,750 pounds and males around 5,000 pounds. The head-and-body length is 12 feet on average, with a shoulder height of 6 feet on average. It has two horns on its snout, with the front horn capable of reaching 60 inches in length! The southern white rhino has a distinctive flat, broad mouth that is used for grazing. This lip shape allows for easy identification from the black rhino, who using their V-shaped lip for browsing. The southern white rhino lives in the grasslands, savannahs, and shrublands of southern Africa, ranging from South Africa to Zambia. About 98.5% of southern white rhino live in just five countries: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Uganda. The southern white rhinoceros is listed as Near Threatened; it is mostly threatened by habitat loss, continuous poaching in recent years, and the high illegal demand for rhino horn for commercial purposes and use in traditional Chinese medicine. Southern white rhino reproduction requires a gestation of approximately 16 months! Females produce every two to three years, because of their calf’s reliance on them for that lengthy time. The calves can weigh an impressive 100 pounds at birth! White rhinos are sedentary, semi-social and territorial. Adult bulls are basically solitary and associate only with females in estrus. The Preserve welcomed Tank (3-years old at the time), in July of 2022, prior to The Preserve’s grand opening the following month.
Native: Africa
Grant's zebra are the smallest of the seven subspecies of the plains zebra. They generally stand shy of 5 feet in height, and weigh between 500-600 pounds. Each animal is unique, with no two animals sharing the same striping pattern. Grant's zebras are highly social creatures. They can frequently change herd structure, and will change companions every few months. The herd can consist of up to 20 animals, lead by one stallion. Females can produce one foal per year, after a gestation of just over one year in length. Mothers are brave defenders of their vulnerable offspring.
Did you know?
Wild horse populations are largely feral animals; horses that were once domesticated but now roam free. The only true wild horse species include zebras, wild asses and Mongolian horses found in Africa and Asia.
