Last week, I got to experience the next best thing a mini-safari at the San Diego Wild Animal Park! This wildlife sanctuary sits outside of San Diego and is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 400 species. The San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Parks are world renowned for their animal collections, breeding programs and conservation efforts. It was wonderful to see so many young animals in each exhibit and their presence really demonstrated how successful the park has been with its breeding programs.
We were thrilled to participate in one of the behind the scenes experiences at the park, a photo caravan into the African Safari exhibit. We were taken into the exhibit and allowed to feed the giraffes and observe the animals up close and personal!
When the truck pulled to a stop the giraffes gathered around our truck for a feeding. We feed them acacia leaves but were not allowed to touch them. This allows the giraffes to retain their wildness and not become too comfortable with human contact. 
It was difficult not to reach out and touch them. They were so friendly, inquisitive and almost seemed to enjoy posing for photos!
The baby giraffes like these ones were particularly captivating. They were so playful and curious about exploring the world around them. The park has been fortunate to have nine new giraffes born during 2009. 
Out of all of the animals we saw that day, the giraffes were definitely one of my favorites. I was captivated by their beauty, expressive eyes and stunning markings.
We had a wonderful day at the park and I would highly recomend it to any nature lover!
To see more images from this trip, please visit my new Exotic Animals Gallery.
