Randy M

Those are Great pictures .. cant remember the guy to the left with Jake, Charlie and David.

Gary I think that is Stevie(we all called him Trip)2nd lions

The bearded warden in the first pic is Luc Suduit He was Lion 5,after Gary. Thomas Armstrong was the elephant trainer. He came from Ringling Bros.

I'd love to see your photos!

 

Do you recall how many of the leopards/panthers were at the park?

I recall 8 leopards. In the animals by species ,you have a pic of a leopard up a tree . If he doesn't come down you don't go home. Somebody get me a chainsaw. Just kidding

Another problem we had with the leopards they can climb trees! Hard to put them away at night if they didn't want to come down I remember a few times that somebody had to spend the night babysitting them! I also remember the 1st cubs born. Somewhere I have pictures that I'll try to find.

If I remember correctly it went 1st lions, black bears, 2nd lions, brown bears, bird sanctuary, Bengals, leopards, Siberians, sheep and goats, and my baboons. I don't remember where the Bengals were sent. I do remember some of their names- Reverend Peewee Bones and Stalker. I recall the section was hard to see the roos in in the beginning. David Barnes and Charlie Hull were in charge of the change over. Seems to me it was later in the season.

Here's a bit of trivia The 1st veterinarian was Doc Kline next was John Carver Then Doc Gutter. No I'm not making the names up. Just makes me wonder if you'd bring your pet to a vet named Carver or Gutter.

No I became lion 9. Paul Demetri took Tommy's spot .I can't remember Winks name.Do you remember a warden named Trip? I relieved All the Cat sections at one time or another. Tell Gary I tried to friend him on face book . you too. Do you or Gary Know Tommy Armstrong? He was the elephant trainer from Ringling bros. He came after you left. .He was from Texas to.

Donnie if you remember ,you weren't drinking enough!

Not the nuns maybe priests

Ok here's another one I think I can post. I was in the baboon section when a black Chevy wagon entered. In the car were 5 nuns. I watched as two females jumped on the hood. Next thing I know they had a orgy going on . I've never laughed so hard in my life! You had to see the expressions on the nuns faces! If I only had my camera that day. Ah well good times.

I started in 74 about 3 months before the park opened. I was on gate 9,Barry was lion 11. Next year I was lion 9 Tommy Lear was lion 7. I seem to remember a warden nicknamed Trip. I think he was fired for running into the 1st lion fence. Next year I was Lion 11.I was Lion 11 until they electrified the road in the brown bears. we were losing a lot of tires, windows and various car parts. Next I was lion 19. Seems wherever I went there was always plenty of action. I have lots more stories but most can't go this site. I'll post a few more of the tamer ones. I think I left G.A.in 81.Donnie I posted my e-mail and I'm on face book

Ok here's one. someone in .P.R had the bright idea for to catch a baby boon. She dressed it up and walked around the amusement with it. that little stunt almost cost me big. We caught up a baby and kept in one of the monkey houses for a week or two. Only problem was I had to feed it every day Seems momma didn't like that to much On the 4th or 5th day I was going in to feed baby and momma came off the roof . She landed on my shoulder .I fell between my truck and the monkey house good thing I have a hard head. Of course the rest of the boons got upset to. It got real hairy real quick. But I guess it turned out ok I'm still here and the park did get some good P.R.

Here's another as Lion 11 I was in my brown bear section when a guest told me there was a girl naked in the section! I called lion 1 (Butch) and told him I have a girl bare in the bear sect. He said have her wait a mo I'll be right there. Seems they were taking pictures for a mens mag.

Here we go again .I was in brown bears watching traffic. I spotted a Chevy van watching the bears by the pond. Louie a big male bear was by the passenger rear side window .We all learned a lesson that day. Seems those windows are mounted in rubber! Louie grabbed the rubber in his teeth window came right out. Louie was trying to climb in the mans wife was hitting him on the head with a doggie cage. I flew over and chased Louie away. lion 2 and lion 12 and I think woofie had to escort them out . That was the first window but not the last. My bears also flattened many tires. More then the Siberians did.

Donnie do you remember Bob Barry passing out twice at his wedding. I couldn't take a picture of that. But his wife really wanted me to.

Boy the stories keep coming back .Here one about Roosevelt. Charlie and I were digging post holes for a paddock on the African plains. Charlie went to get a gas posthole digger. He left me to keep a eye on the holes we had dug.1st problem was I didn't have radio 2nd problem Roosevelt came to say hello. I spent the next 1/2 hour up a tree! Charlie came back and we proceeded to hit a underground power cable. Melted the rubber grips on the digger. Break time!!! LOL

Oh boy here's one more. I think you know we had a bypass road in the monkey jungle. What you probably don't know was my gate girls had a way to handle stubborn guests .Seems like my girls {Michele, Linda and Lynn ]had a little water gun filled with sugar water or banana oil. They would squirt the vinyl roofs with it. Lost a lot of roofs that way!! LOL

Donnie I don't know if we should post our exploits. Sure would take a lot of editing! But I sure will come up with something.

I remember being in the show .We at Safari went there after work .But we had 3-4hrs to kill . Hello Cassville Tavern We. all went to compete feeling pretty good .I'm guessing that's why we won! Park champs whoo. I seem to remember cameras there.

I'll see what I can find. I always had my camera with me.

Yes there was a (stampede) .If I remember right the gate person on gate 3 came on the radio yelling their getting through the gate. Only problem was she never said which gate. Needless to say most wardens floored the gas to check their gates. Turns out two rhinos were fighting and went through gate3 into the American sect. they were brought back right away by Luc(lion5).I know this is right I married her (Carol).I don't think she ever lived it down.

Most of us carried Remington 870 pump shotguns. As for training it took me a while to get Bucth to ok some training. If I remember correctly we got 3 shots each!

The 1st photo is Luc Sudiut (lion 5)

Donnie do you remember me Randy Menken. Just wanted to say hey to and Gary. If you ever here from Charlie Hull tell him he still has my book on big cats. LOL

1st Gary Dean Hill 2nd not Birdman (Issac something) 3rd I think was George on gate2

Somebody wanted to know if there ever was a stampede at G.A. Yes there was the gate person on gate 3 came over radio yelling their getting through the gate. Only problem was she didn't say wich gate I think every warden floored their trucks. I know this happened I married her.

Hi I'm Randy or if you prefer Lion 9/11/19. Started in Safari before the park opened - doc Kline got me my job there. A lot of good memories JUST came flooding back! Somewhere I have loads of pictures. I still remember Grumpy, B.J. and Michele. My three little brown bear cubs. they used to hang out together sucking on each others ears. Anybody here from Captain Hook Joe C? I've got lots of stories. Anybody remember Villa Rosa?