Sunday, August 10, 2014
Sunday morning was a great time for a beautiful drive into the north Georgia mountains. I was headed to Cleveland to check out the North Georgia Zoo & Petting Farm. Nestled off of a back country road, the 40 acres that make up the zoo are filled with animals of all sorts. Wolves, big cats, monkeys, camels, llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats, pigs, reptiles, porcupines, kangaroos, parakeets, even a water buffalo. People travel from all over just to come check out the zoo. You can take a tour of the more exotic animals, pet and feed the farm animals and get up close and personal with certain program animals that the zoo uses for educational purposes. Now you may be thinking that these particular encounters may be a little lame but I am talking about getting to spend some time with wolf pups, fennec foxes, kangaroos and others. Let me put it this way. I was only planning on spending an hour and a half at the zoo capturing what I could but I found myself mesmerized by what they had to offer and stayed for almost half of the day. Definitely on the list of things to check out within a short distance from Atlanta!
Eric Olson fills water containers for the doves at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland before the facility opens on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Kate Herndon (left) and Tina McGarry make their final rounds at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland before the facility opens on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Stephanie Darmstadt walks a wolf pup to her enclosure at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
A wolf pup is walked to her enclosure at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Shannon Kelly interacts with two wolf pups at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Evelyn Krakovski (right) checks out a Patagonian mara held by Shannon Kelly (left) as he brother Lev watches at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Tortoises sit in their enclosure at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Evelyn Krakovski (left) feeds some of the goats, alpacas and llamas while her brother Lev takes photographs at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Evelyn Krakovski feeds some of the goats, alpacas and llamas at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Evelyn Krakovski feeds some of the goats, alpacas and llamas at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
An African crested porcupine walks around its enclosure at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
A South American coati watches Shannon Kelly from its enclosure as she explains details about the animal during a tour at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Shannon Kelly (left) tells Barbara Hamm and her daughter Monica about the wallaby standing next to her and other marsupials during a tour at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
A serval cat stands in its enclosure at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
A New Guinea singing dog stands in its enclosure at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
A white handed gibbon hangs from its enclosure as Shannon Kelly (left) talks about the story of the animal and its basset hound friend at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Shannon Kelly (center) tells Barbara Hamm (right) and her daughter Monica about the fennec fox to her left during a tour at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Monica Hamm (left) touches a three banded armadillo during a tour at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Barbara Hamm (left), her daughter Monica and Shannon Kelly watch a three banded armadillo during a tour at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Shannon Kelly holds a three banded armadillo during a tour at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Monica Hamm (left) feeds a camel a handful of food as her mother Barbara takes a photograph during an encounter program at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Parakeets perch from a tree branch at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Parakeets eat from a feeding stick as Valerie Wright (left) and her grandson Braylon Jenkins watch at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Amanda Beck (left) introduces a red kangaroo to Monica Hamm (right) and her mother Barbara during an encounter program at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
A red kangaroo interacts with Monica Hamm during an encounter program at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
A red kangaroo interacts with Barbara Hamm (left) and her daughter Monica during an encounter program at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Jennifer McClure leads a llama out of its enclosure as she prepares for an outreach program at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Melissa Burns feeds a baby African crested porcupine at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Mili Eppinger (right) watches as a young kinkajou eats a banana from Shannon Kelly’s shoulder at the North Georgia Zoo and Petting Farm in Cleveland on Sunday, August 10, 2014.