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Safari Park Day Off

Published July 13, 2019

I, Bernie Harberts, did not use generative AI to write or illustrate this article. Spell check and grammar check, yes. AI, no.

Mule Brick hiding behind tree on day off at Lee G Simmons Wildlife Safari Park outside Ashland, Nebraska.
Brick in Day Off mode: you know your mules are ready for a day off when your pack mule hides behind a tree…

A bag of corn, a bucket of water and a salt block. Oh, and a herd of elk. The mules are chillin’ on their day off. We’re guests of the Lee G Simmons Conservation Park and Wildlife Safari.

Mules Brick and Cracker arriving at Lee G Simmons Wildlife Safari Park outside Ashland, Nebraska.
The mules’ arrival at the Wildlife Safari Park.

The Lee G Simmons Conservation Park and Wildlife Safari features a collection of animals indigenous to the Nebraska Plains. From elk, bison and prairie dogs to owls and a tiger salamander, it’s home to a deep collection of Nebraska’s prairie life. The safari part of it is that you get to drive through it all in your car.

The park has close ties with the Omaha Zoo, one of the nation’s top zoos. In addition to the drive-through Great Plains safari, the park has a successful cheetah breeding program. A tiger breeding program is also being developed.

The park hosted mules Brick and Cracker on site behind the interns house. While they munched and sipped and rested, the park gave me a great tour of their drive-through exhibit.

Christine DuPre of Omaha Zoo who arranged Bernie Harberts mule visit to Wildlife Safari Park in Nebraska.
This is Christine DuPre’. She’s the person that got it all organized for me. We met in Plattsmouth, Nebraska 2 days ago. She works with primates at the Omaha Zoo. She thought I’d enjoy visiting the Wildlife Safari Park with my mules and, voilà, here we are. Thanks Christine!
Mule fed trinity of water corn and salt provided by Lee G Simmons Wildlife Safari Park in Ashland, Nebraska.
The mule chow Trinity: water, corn and salt. All provided by the Wildlife Safari Park.
Bernie Harberts tent under old pear tree at Lee G Simmons Wildlife Safari Park outside Ashland, Nebraska.
Home tonight: my tent under the old pear tree.

A Tour of the Safari Park

I thought you’d enjoy a few pics from my tour of the park. Driving through the drive-through safari was a great preview of the animals and fauna that lie ahead of me as the mules and I travel West.

Safari Park guide Rich giving Bernie Harberts a personal tour of Lee G Simmons Wildlife Safari Park in Nebraska.
Rich has been with the park 17 years. Because I couldn’t ride the mules on the safari, he drove me through the park in his vehicle. Rich often serves as tour guide on bus loads of visitors so it was real honor to get the one-on-one tour.
Bull elk with velvet antlers cooling off in a pond at Lee G Simmons Wildlife Safari Park Nebraska.
Elk cooling off in a pond. The bulls’ antlers are in velvet stage. In another month or so, the soft covering will peel off to reveal the hard antlers.
Whooping crane standing in duckweed covered pond at Lee G Simmons Wildlife Safari Park Nebraska.
Whooping crane. that’s not green scum, that’s duckweed, a tiny flowing plant.

Bison-sized Thanks

It’s been surreal showing up in Nebraska 2 days ago, not knowing anyone, and having this beautiful experience appear.

For that, I want to extend thanks to:

  • Christine DuPre’ (Omaha Zoo)
  • Dan Cassidy (Omaha Zoo)
  • Gary Pettit: Wildlife Safari Park Superintendent
  • Rich: for the personal tour of the park. Rich declined a ride on my pack saddle so we used his personal vehicle to tour the park.
  • Everyone else at the Wildlife Safari Park who made it such a great stay for us (and magically made corn and salt appear in front of my mules)
  • Kim and Mike
Kim and Mike fueling Bernie Harberts with popcorn and coffee at Lee G Simmons Wildlife Safari Park Nebraska.
Kim and Mike: yesterday I called the Safari Park. Kim answered the phone. I explained I was looking for a place to stay with my mules. Odd as the request was, Kim didn’t hang up on me. Here, she and Mike are fueling me with Safari Park pop corn and coffee so I can get this post up.

From the Safari Park (outside Ashland, Nebraska) the mules and I head toward Valparaiso, Nebraska. From there we’ll follow the sun west.

Mule Cracker licking salt brick during heat of Nebraska summer at Wildlife Safari Park outside Ashland, Nebraska.
Cracker spending some quality time with his salt brick. The mules are sweating a lot in the heat so salt is as important as water these days.

Links:

http://www.wildlifesafaripark.com

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6 Responses to Safari Park Day Off

  • Pingback: Bison Dawn - RiverEarth.com
  • Elisha Stanley on July 16, 2019 at 9:36 am

    Great Adventure. Love the Salt Lick picture! Be safe and Ride on!

    Reply
  • mike samuelson on July 14, 2019 at 8:44 am

    Bernie, it was great meeting you. We are very proud of our park and glad you enjoyed your visit. Come back and see us again.

    Reply
  • Todd Bryant on July 14, 2019 at 2:41 am

    Wonderful stories and great photos. What camera do you use for these posts?

    Reply
    • Bernie on July 17, 2019 at 5:32 pm

      Todd,
      In another comment, you offered to provide me with a joke (much appreciated and I may have to take you up on it).
      You asked about my camera. Here’s my joke.
      Up until about a month ago (La Plata, MO post) I used a Canon G16. It was about 5 years old. A real battle wagon of a camera that took great photos….until I lost it. Uggggggggg…
      After that, and here’s the punchline to the joke, I used my iPod.
      Yep, just a 5th gen iPod I use for an alarm so I don’t have to leave my phone on all night long.
      In bright light, it works amazingly well in that best-camera-is-the-one-you-have-on-hand-when-the-aliens-land sorta way.
      I have a replacement Canon G9X Mark II showing up. Ask me in a few weeks how I like it.
      Happy Snapping.
      Bernie

      Reply

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