Wildlife Prairie Park -- June 10, 2009

OLLI’s first hiking trip was an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Wildlife Prairie State Park, a 2,000-acre zoological park just outside of Peoria.

More than a dozen members joined us on the walking trails for an hour-long guided hike. We stopped at the various animal exhibits, and learned about the native plant and animal species, the bison and elk pasture, and the Sandhill Cranes in Walden Pond.

After a short break, we enjoyed an informative birds of prey exhibition followed by a personalized, behind-the-scenes look at the educational animals used at the park. The park’s staff showed us how they feed and care for the animals, explained how they rehabilitate injured birds, and provided opportunities to see individual animal enclosures.

Afterward, we had the unique opportunity to be the first group served lunch at the new Prairie Grille at the park. The lunch was delicious, and the chef and staff are to be commended for the attention to our OLLI members.

For more information, visit Wildlife Prairie State Park on the web:
www.wildlifeprairiestatepark.org