Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Just kidding, but there are cheetahs, giraffes, and a multitude of other wild animals at the Wilds in Cumberland, Ohio.

Almost 70 years ago, strip mining was a large source of income for many people, especially those in Guernsey County, Ohio. The land, that is now known as The Wilds, was once destroyed by the strip mining. In the late 1970s, the concept of The Wilds was in full swing and the plans to help keep topsoil from eroding more was already in motion.

The land of The Wilds covers nearly 10,000 acres of reclaimed mining land.

Today, The Wilds house a multitude of animals ranging from wild horses to the American Burying Beetle.

A lot of the animals that live at The Wilds come from desert areas such as the Middle East. Many have become extinct in the wild and the only reason they are still alive today has been through conservation and breeding efforts to keep them from reaching complete extinction.

(This is a Persian Onager, and yes, they are very mean.)

(Przewalski's Wild Horse; they were extinct in the wild in the the 1960s.)

The Wilds allows for people from all over to take a tour of the 10,000 acres and see the animals up close. You can even stay overnight and hold weddings or family reunions at some of the cabins they have available.

They offer zip lining, open canopy tours as well as enclosed tours too. The Wilds pushes their conservation efforts to help raise awareness of just how much land can change by humans.

(The Bactrian Camel has two humps that store fat and water which is what distinguishes them from others.)

These animals are truly remarkable and being able to see them in person is something that I don't think anyone will forget, I know I won't.

If you ever find yourself in Ohio and are looking for something that you can really enjoy, pack a hat, a camera, and maybe some sunscreen and head over to Cumberland and enjoy some time in the sun with animals many people will never get to see.