Wildlife Prairie Park has a very interesting story. At the age of 60 William Rutherford, a former attorney, found out Brookfield Zoo was looking for extra space to breed exotic animals and an organization he was associated with acquired 480 acres near Peoria for conservation. So the zoo and the organization partnered but then Brookfield's management changed and discontinued the program. So the foundation decided to create their own zoo dedicated to local species which opened in 1978 and has remained that way since.
If any similarity to Northwest Trek is noticed, there is good reason. The planning and construction was overseen by Gary Geddes, who became director of Trek in 1981 and oversaw its expansion. Mr. Geddes now oversees both Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Northwest Trek.
