Kings Island Wild Animal Habitat

[groundskeeper24]

Anyone ever go to this place? If not, then some background info: The Kings Island theme park in Mason, Ohio (near Cincinnati) used to have an animal-themed area with a few loose exhibits and a monorail that tracked through 4 or so fields of animals. It closed in 1993, shortly after Paramount bought the park. It's hard to find much on the internet about it other than rumors. I recall them actually having and breeding gaur in the Asian field section. I went several times, but it's been a long time. Apparently the ride was also once called Lion Country Safari when it opened in the late 70s and had a mostly African theme. I don't know when that changed, but I only remember them having African, Asian, North American and South American field exhibits. They apparently had 50 lions in one of the fields before the switch to more general theming. I imagine that changed after there was an apparent mauling of an employee who got out of his utility vehicle to relieve himslef in the lion enclosure. Another alleged mishap involve the park trting to introduce baboons into the lion area, resulting in the monkeys escaping into the park and causing mayhem.

Anyone have clearer memories of this attraction and significant species kept/odd rumors surrounding it?

 

[Zooplantman]

I went a couple of times in the 80s and have as clear a recollection as you do

 

[UCBearcat]

In 1974 A new area opened called Lion Country Safari , with over 300 animals, the main ride in that area was Wild Animal Habitat Monorail.

The Elephants that were in the wild animal habitat are at the Kansas City Zoo, Kings Island donated them, once the exhibit closed. Exhibit was 100 acres

exhibit was run by Lion Country Safari, Inc

here's a picture overview of the area
Kings Island Central History Photo Gallery - 1974 Lion Country Safari & 1975 Troika/Overview taken in 1975

there were 350 species
Pictures 2-12 have some pictures of the animals from 1975
Kings Island Central History Photo Gallery - Johnny Fout Aug 1975

Youtube video of some of the ride, the beginning of the video to the 4:40 mark

 

[groundskeeper24]

Not a bad exhibit, just as I recall. Thise fields were pretty big. Looks like they had some eland in that African section. Asian section was just as I rememebred, tons and tons of blackbuck! They also had white-backed vultures, nilgai and gaur in there. After they closed, I didn't see those species again until the golden day of my zooing life: my first time at the Bronx Zoo. I remember those leopard houses, too. Nothing special, but the snow leopard enclosure was probably better than the atrocious one at Cincy. Thanks, Bearcat!

 

[ShowMeElephants]

Elephants of Kings Island Wild Animal Habitat

A new article at ShowMe Elephants regarding the elephant history of Kings Dominion, including elephants later relocated to Kings Island Wild Animal Habitat. If anyone has further information regarding Kings Dominion's former herd of African elephants and their Asians as well, please leave a comment or message me in an effort to complete their records for elephant historians.

>> "Kings Dominion" at ShowMe Elephants

 

[PREMiERdrum]

A Kings Island faniste member put together a great collection of photos, plans, and timelines in this thread:
Lion Country Safari Spotlight - Kings Island Central Forums

The thread is 4 pages long but definitely worth skimming.

Interestingly enough, even though the habitat was closed in 1994, much of the infastructure still remains at the outer reaches of the park, including fencing, ponds, landscape, barns, and support buildings.

 

[DavidBrown]

A Kings Island faniste member put together a great collection of photos, plans, and timelines in this thread:
Lion Country Safari Spotlight - Kings Island Central Forums

The thread is 4 pages long but definitely worth skimming.

According to this history of this zoo there was a plan to dump 30 olive baboons into the lion exhibit because they "share the same habitat in the wild". That would have been an interesting experiment. Thankfully it never happened because the baboons escaped.

"The Lion Country Safari also planned to add more animals in 1976 with the addition of 13 Bengal tigers and 50 Olive baboons. The baboons were planned to be added into the same section as the lions, since the two species lived together in their natural habitat."