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Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary brings children, families, and animals together
Noah’s Ark, an animal sanctuary in Locust Grove, Georgia, brings children and animals together on 250 scenic acres. Located about 30 miles south of Atlanta, Noah’s Ark offers a peaceful outdoor experience for all ages. It’s like a cross between a zoo, a farm, and a nature preserve. Unlike a zoo, it’s residents are rescue animals and there’s no admission or commercialization. It was a new experience.
Our party of all adults had a great time leisurely strolling through the outdoor sanctuary, enjoying the educational signage and the exotic and domestic animals, reptiles, and birds. We also enjoyed watching the families with young children that joyfully wandered the grounds. It’s a great place for grandparents to bring their grandchildren.
Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary brings children and animals together for free
If you are looking for a free or low-cost and low key healthy family outing, Noah’s Ark is for you. Tuesday through Saturday Noah’s Ark is open from noon to 3 p.m. for self-guided tours on the paved pathways that wind through the animal habitat area. Maps like the one below are available in The Welcome Center. The paved walkways make it easy to navigate strollers and walkers from one area to another. There is lots of signage identifying the rescued animals. The signs are all with large fonts so it’s easier for young and older eyes to read.
It’s also a great place for a family outing if you are trying to have fun together while keeping your distance and avoiding crowds while COVID19 is still a concern.
In addition to enjoying the animals, you can use the picnic area and playground, if open. There is plenty of free parking and there are many restroom facilities through out the areas open to the public. Vending machines offer bottled water, soda, and juice.
The self-guided tours are free, but the sanctuary hopes that you will make a donation towards the care and feeding of the animals.
Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary brings children and animals together: all kinds of animals
Noah’s Ark has about 1500 rescued residents from over 100 species. It is a destination for confiscated and rescued animals through local law enforcement as well as the U.S. Dept. of Natural Resources, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Dept. of the Interior, and Georgia Dept. of Agriculture, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Often, the animals are illegal pets, pets grown too big for their owners to care for, or from circuses, petting zoos, or research laboratories.
What kinds of animals might you see at Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary? All kinds! Just when you think you’ve seen all there is to see, you can round a corner or move to another area and see even more birds or reptiles, too.
Across a stream in a fenced in area, there were even some alligators.
Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary brings children and animals together: even Lions, and Tigers, and Bears
Noah’s Ark is a refuge to many exotic animals, especially from circuses. This is the case for several lions and tigers. While they don’t have the free range they would have in their natural habitat, they live in natural surroundings within large fenced off areas. They are provided with plenty of water, toys, and places to bathe and shelter.
Noah’s Ark is known for a trio of unlikely friends, a bear, a lion, and a tiger, nicknamed “BLT” who lived together in the same enclosure. Baloo the Bear, Leo the Lion, and Shere Khan, the Tiger, all males, were rescued as cubs from a drug dealer’s house. When they were brought to Noah’s Ark, they showed their affection for each other, so they were housed together until Leo and Shere Khan died. Ordinarily, these three species would not have tolerated each other. It is a lesson for all about tolerance.
Here are signs with the story about BLT:
Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary brings children and animals together: Peacocks and Tortoises and Farm animals
You can’t help but notice the peacocks wandering by the Welcoming Center. They look at you with curiosity, but they mind their own business. All the ones we saw had lost their feathers. Some feathers were for sale in the Welcome Center.
Not far away is a pen full of tortoises. They actually move faster than you might expect. You can get close to them, unlike the exotic animals and bears, which have two fences between you and them to secure them and keep you safe. The toddlers visiting Noah’s Ark seemed quite enthralled with the tortoises.
On a hill overlooking the Welcome Center are ponies and horses of all kinds and sizes placidly grazing.
Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary brings children and animals together: Farm and non-native animals petting area
While there are many animals that are not suitable for petting, like the “Big Cats” and bears, there is one large area where farm animals and some docile wild species may be patted. The animals we saw looked healthy, but the sign cautioned that the animals had some special needs. There’s an emu who is best friends with a cow. Goats, sheep, pigs, and ponies share the space with some llamas wandering amongst them. One goat stakes a claim to a flat rock and watches visitors and animals alike.
Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary brings children and animals together: monkeys and more
What’s a place with animals without monkeys? Noah’s Ark also has some rescue animals from research facilities.
The adorable Capuchins that are fun to watch. There are many more primates I didn’t get photos of.
The Silver Foxes seem to enjoy being on platforms.
Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary brings children and animals together: Special Tours
WOW Tour
Be WOWed! Noah’s Ark offers guests the opportunity to take a “Walk On The Wild Side” Tour! This is an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience for those 11 and up. This professionally-guided 1.5 hour, three mile tour allows guests go to between the fences so you are just one fence away from the animals, including exotic cats, bears, wolves, and primates. Tickets are $75 per person tax deductible donation and you need 48 hour advanced reservations. You can find out more and sign up here.
Big Cat Feeding Tour
Are you ready for the BIG cats!?! Noah’s Ark offers their guests the opportunity to witness first hand the feeding of the Big Cats! Reserve a “Big Cat Feeding” tour for an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience. This professionally-guided tour is for 12 and up. They require reservations and there’s a $150 per participant which allows you to go in between the double fencing to view the animals up close. These tours are only in the summer and weather permitting. Find out more and sign up here.
Educational Tours/Field Trips
Noah’s Ark welcomes groups. They require a chaperone for every 10 children. A suggested donation is $5 per person. Or, you can donate an item to help the animals, such as dog food, cat food, timothy hay, or copy paper. No child is turned away. The hours for these tours are the same as others: Tuesday – Saturday 12 to 3 p.m. The playground does open at 9, provided it isn’t muddy, and the picnic area opens at 10 so that groups can make more of a day out. This is if COVID restrictions are lifted and weather permitting. Reservations are required. Find out more and sign up here.
Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary brings children and animals together: Know before you go
Noah’s Ark is an non-profit animal sanctuary and not a zoo. There’s no glitz, just simple enclosures.
Bring your own food and drink if you want to picnic. You won’t find food or drink vendors and there’s only a limited number of souvenirs in the Welcome Center. There are first come, first served picnic tables. Note that you can’t take food into the animal areas.
Comfortable walking shoes and bug spray are recommended. You should be reasonably fit to walk the one mile pathway.
Noah’s Ark is open to the public, weather and COVID restrictions, permitting. If in doubt, call 770-957-0888 before you go.
Noah’s Ark is not only a sanctuary, but also a rehabilitation center and as well as rescuing dogs and cats, especially from local shelters when their time is running out. Noah’s Ark Pet Adoption Center vets and evaluates all animals’ behaviors before offering them for adoption. Noah’s Ark relies on a small dedicated staff and a large pool of volunteers. Donations at any level are welcome, as well as in kind donations – see list on the website and their wish list on Amazon.com.
While you are in Georgia, I highly recommend that you check out Stone Mountain Park, with its mountainside sculpture, and the Summit Skyride.
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