Oatland Island State Wildlife was the first of two native Wildlife Zoos I visited on the coast of Georgia and South Carolina. There is a third facility at Brookgreen Gardens that I was unable to visit.
I was at Oatland Island about an hour before it opened and a good sized line cars had formed before the gates opened up.
Right off the bat…the grounds were beautiful. The best exhibit was the Whitetail Deer. I would go as far to say that it may be the best Whitetail Deer exhibit I’ve ever seen. I know…the animal can be readily seen throughout the eastern United States…and this exhibit captures that effect perfectly.
Straight forward signage abounded so I’ll call 100% accuracy across the board regarding the observed species. And the Gopher Tortoises “wild”, “free-range”, not sure…I’ll go with wild, under care.
Mammals:
Virginia Opossum - 1 (another animal known to be on exhibit was a no show)
Cougar - 2
Grey Squirrel* - 18
Bobcat - 2
Whitetail Deer - 7
Grey Wolf - 3
Plains Bison - 1 (a second animal known to be present was not observed)
Domestic Rabbit - 1
Domestic Ass - 1
Domestic Cattle - 1 (Holstein)
Domestic Goat - 2
Domestic Pig - 2 (Ossabow Island Hog)
No Show -
Nine-banded Armadillo
Birds:
Barred Owl - 1
Snowy Egret* - 2
Northern Cardinal* - 1
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet* - 6
Red-winged Blackbird* - 23
Black Vulture - 2 + 1 wild
Great Horned Owl - 1
Bald Eagle - 2
Domestic Chicken - 2
Domestic Turkey - 2
Domestic Duck - 1
No Show -
Barn Owl
Reptiles and Amphibians:
Eastern Indigo Snake - 1
Eastern Hognosed Snake - 1
Southern Toad - 1
Diamondback Terrapin - 2
Hybrid Rat Snake (spolloides / alleghaniensis) - 1
Two-toed Amphiuma - 2
American Alligator - 2
Common Snapping Turtle - 1
Gopher Tortoise* - 1
No Show -
Red Rat Snake
I was at Oatland Island about an hour before it opened and a good sized line cars had formed before the gates opened up.
Right off the bat…the grounds were beautiful. The best exhibit was the Whitetail Deer. I would go as far to say that it may be the best Whitetail Deer exhibit I’ve ever seen. I know…the animal can be readily seen throughout the eastern United States…and this exhibit captures that effect perfectly.
Straight forward signage abounded so I’ll call 100% accuracy across the board regarding the observed species. And the Gopher Tortoises “wild”, “free-range”, not sure…I’ll go with wild, under care.
Mammals:
Virginia Opossum - 1 (another animal known to be on exhibit was a no show)
Cougar - 2
Grey Squirrel* - 18
Bobcat - 2
Whitetail Deer - 7
Grey Wolf - 3
Plains Bison - 1 (a second animal known to be present was not observed)
Domestic Rabbit - 1
Domestic Ass - 1
Domestic Cattle - 1 (Holstein)
Domestic Goat - 2
Domestic Pig - 2 (Ossabow Island Hog)
No Show -
Nine-banded Armadillo
Birds:
Barred Owl - 1
Snowy Egret* - 2
Northern Cardinal* - 1
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet* - 6
Red-winged Blackbird* - 23
Black Vulture - 2 + 1 wild
Great Horned Owl - 1
Bald Eagle - 2
Domestic Chicken - 2
Domestic Turkey - 2
Domestic Duck - 1
No Show -
Barn Owl
Reptiles and Amphibians:
Eastern Indigo Snake - 1
Eastern Hognosed Snake - 1
Southern Toad - 1
Diamondback Terrapin - 2
Hybrid Rat Snake (spolloides / alleghaniensis) - 1
Two-toed Amphiuma - 2
American Alligator - 2
Common Snapping Turtle - 1
Gopher Tortoise* - 1
No Show -
Red Rat Snake
Last edited:
