Lion Country Safari opened in the summer of 1967 in rural Western Palm Beach County with dozens of free-roaming lions and a few other species. The drive-through safari park is believed to be the first cageless zoo in the country, introducing a new concept in zoology and bringing the experience of an African game park – then and now, an expensive and time-consuming trip – to families who would otherwise not be able to experience an African safari. South Florida’s Western Palm Beach County proved to be an ideal location for the park due to its year-round tropical climate, plentiful land, a growing population and tourists who visit from all over the world.
Lion Country Safari, West Palm Beach is a leader in Palm Beach County’s tourism industry, offering a unique and affordable opportunity to enjoy the largest drive-through safari in Florida. The park is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and has also been recognized as one of the top three zoos in America by USA Travel Guide, one of the ten best safari parks by USA Today, and Palm Beach County’s Top Local Attraction. The 320-acre attraction offers the drive-through safari, walk-through adventure park and award-winning KOA campground.
At Lion Country Safari, large herds of animals from 6 continents roam free, while humans visiting are enclosed (in their vehicles). Hundreds of WILD animals including lions, wildebeest, giraffe, the largest herd of zebras on record in North America, ostrich, chimpanzees and rhinos call Lion Country Safari home and roam wide-open, naturalistic habitats.
Lion Country Safari is involved in a number of sustainable efforts to reduce waste and use more eco friendly products and also participates in many conservation and breeding programs (called Species Survival Plans) for threatened species, including rhinoceros, zebra, oryx, siamangs, and more. These programs help to ensure the survival of a healthy, sustainable population of threatened species in human care and help facilities like Lion Country Safari to act as lifeboats or figurative arks as wild populations decline and face extinction.
