See hundreds of exotic animals and have lunch or dinner at this new South MS safari park
Want to take a ride and see hundreds of exotic animals? How about hold a fennec fox or a lemur? What about dine with a view of peacocks walking around and swans in a pond?
Well, you can do all those things and more at Little Creek Landing Safari Park.
The new park is located in West Hattiesburg and is home to hundreds of exotic animals. It’s an experience geared toward all ages and it’s the product of a lifelong love of animals.
Joy Thurman Wallace said the seed for the park was planted long ago. Her mother had a love of animals and shared it with Wallace’s son, Chris Thurman, who started and owns the safari park.
A lifelong love of animals
“My mother had a love of animals,” Wallace said. “As a little boy, they would buy and sell animals.”
Wallace said her mother’s and son’s business of buying, selling and raising animals was known as The Critter Farm and it was the genesis of the safari park.
“Back then we did a little of everything,” Thurman said. “We did more domestics than exotics — more farm animal stuff back then.”
More than 300 animals
However, over time, Thurman’s interests shifted.
“I always liked the unusual,” Thurman said. “As I got older, I got into exotics.”
Thurman’s collection grew to over 300 animals, and the park offers the public an opportunity to experience them. Guests will see species such as zebras, camels, antelope, ostrich and kangaroos. There are also some very unusual animals. Thurman said guests can see a white bison, a blond water buffalo and a white emu.
He even has a few endangered species he raises at the park.
“It helps the species survive,” Thurman said.
Take a tour
Guests can tour the park with a guide while they ride on a wagon called a “people mover” pulled by a tractor. The tour takes roughly 30 minutes and feed can be purchased to feed animals along the way. There is also a self-guided walking tour of the property.
There is also a petting area as well as special hands-on experiences where guests can hold, touch or feed animals such a fennec fox, a lemur, a macaw and lorikeets.
Guests with an appetite are welcome, too.
The park features a restaurant the serves a cafe-style lunch and fine dining dinners on Friday and Saturday nights. Restaurant guests on Friday and Saturday nights receive a discount on the admission price to the park area if they want to take a tour, too.
“It’s really geared toward everybody because we have things for young kids and adults,” Thurman said. “So, there’s something for everyone.”
Little Creek Landing Safari Park location, hours and prices
Opening date: Aug. 24
Where: 222 Little Creek Road, Hattiesburg
Phone: 601-550-1658
Email: info@littlecreeklanding.com
Admission: Admission to the park includes a self-guided walking tour and ride on a people mover. Regular admission is $20 Evening admission when dining is $12 Admission is free for children under two years Additional hands-on encounters with lorikeets, lemur, fennec fox and others are $5 each
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 5-9 p.m. for dining guests 1-5 p.m. Sunday
Restaurant hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday 5-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday
