Zoo on the prairie: Salina’s zoo is home to unique animals and exhibits
Salina’s Rolling Hills Zoo could have been the inspiration for the book and movie “We Bought a Zoo.” Starting as a barn to keep Belgian horses, it eventually grew to an accredited zoo, home to endangered animals.
Charlie Walker, a Salina native, developed an interest in Belgian horses and bought a few in the early 1980s to keep on a ranch a few miles west of the north-central Kansas town. He even built a large barn to house the European draft horses. Belgian horses stand almost six feet tall and weigh 1800-2000 pounds. They’re traditionally used to pull wagons or carriages.
Walker, who built Blue Beacon International, a truck wash company which grew to 45 locations, opened the barn to local schools, so children could enjoy up-close experiences with the giant horses. He eventually owned a herd of about 140 horses.
Adding animals
An animal lover, Walker had an opportunity in the late ’80s to add a couple of bear cubs, some llamas and a lioness. Rolling Hills Ranch’s popularity grew, and it started hosting family reunions, class reunions and other groups. Realizing how much Salina-area residents enjoyed the barn visits, the truck wash magnate decided to create a wildlife park.
Rolling Hills Refuge Wildlife Conservation Center was created in 1995 as a step to opening a zoo. The horses were eventually sold.
Zoo opens
Rolling Hills Zoo opened in 1999, housing animals in natural settings rather than caged pens. From primates to lions, the zoo is home to about 100 species, including Andean bears, giraffes and flamingos.
During a tour of the zoo, we encountered animals we hadn’t seen before, such as the mandatory wolf. The South American canine resembles a fox with its large ears and coloring but is much taller with long legs. It’s so adept at camouflaging itself in the brush that all we saw were ears and top of a head. Though, it’s difficult to miss their “scent,” as they like to mark their territory with urine. Whew!
Looking like a cross between an emu and a dinosaur, the southern cassowary is a flightless bird. Living up to 20 years, the cassowary resembles a prehistoric raptor, with a hardened “helmet” on the top of its head. Known as a casque, it’s a bone with material resembling a human’s fingernail with a spongey interior.
The cassowary has three claws on its feet, with the middle one dagger-like and capable of killing someone. Zoo staff members don’t have personal contact with the cassowary. The third-tallest bird in the world loves eating fruit and is partial to grapes, we were told.
Spacious exhibits
With so many impressive exhibits, the zoo seeks to allow animals space to roam over 65 acres. The rhinoceros exhibit was spacious for the one creature living there.
Three giraffes occupy a large area. Two of them, destined to mate, are seemingly joined at the hip. They’re a cute couple, who galloped over to the fence line to see what we were doing. Once satisfied, the duo moseyed away.
A baby addax lay against a fence, far from us, enjoying the protection of an adult antelope nearby. Native to Africa’s Sahara Desert, the addax, also known as a white antelope, is extinct in much of the continent.
Another unique animal at the zoo, the capybara, from South America, is the world’s largest rodent, growing to about 2 feet tall and 4.5 feet long. The animal can weigh up to almost 150 pounds. The capybara at Rolling Hills were separated because of a spat.
Watching African-painted dogs move about was reminiscent of watching dogs in our backyard when we had them. It’s amazing how animals are basically the same whether they’re wild or domesticated – they frolic, sleep in the cutest positions and enjoy playing with toys.
Wildlife Museum
While Walker enjoyed sharing animals at the zoo with everyone, his love for them extended to a museum. Knowing he couldn’t bring every animal to Salina, he looked for options to share stories.
One day, he embarked on a journey to bring home a few taxidermized animals to share in a new museum. When the displays arrived, there were more than a dozen semi-trailers loaded with animals, ranging from North American bison and big cats to European deer, as well as more African and Asian creatures.
Since the animals were already in certain positions, Rolling Hills staff went about creating exhibits reminiscent of natural settings. The museum can also be used for special events.
Strolling through the 64,000-square-foot museum, it almost seems like a whirlwind tour around the globe. An African watering hole features an elephant, primates and alligator. A Plains scene shows a cheetah eyeing a gazelle.
Coyotes are featured in another display, while a herd of bison roams a prairie.
An Arctic exhibit features a walrus and polar bears.
Asian displays feature tigers and an Indian snake charmer. Europe showcases deer.
Prehistoric residents
A small exhibit focuses on fossils discovered in the Salina area, including a prehistoric mosasaurus, a sea creature that reached up to 50 feet in length.
Imagine walking in the area and seeing a giant bird in the sky, swooping down on its prey. The Pteranodon had a wingspan of about 20 feet and stood more than 10 feet tall.
A visit to Rolling Hills Zoo offers a unique experience combining animal exhibits with a wildlife museum and tossing on a bit of history. While there, you may notice older animals. Rolling Hills staff ensure the zoo’s animals live their full lives in comfort.
