"I have a thousand souls I'm responsible for," he said. Lang, who opened Safari West with his wife, Nancy, in 1993, told the Press Democrat that staying on with his giraffes, rhinoceroses and hundreds of other African animals, "wasn't even a decision."
His 200-acre compound was destroyed in the blaze, Paddock said, while Lang stayed with his animals, putting out minor blazes and shuffling animals to and from enclosures. Just a half-mile east of the preserve, the home of Safari West's 77-year-old owner, Peter Lang, did not meet with such a happy fate. SEE ALSO: Thousands more evacuated as Wine Country blazes spread and death toll hits 21 Fire crews and staff members were on site battling the flames and tending to the animals, Paddock said. Minor spot fires had erupted on the grounds over the past three days as the Tubbs Fire, considered the most dangerous blaze currently burning in Wine Country, carved its 28,000-acre path of destruction from Calistoga to Santa Rosa. Paddock could not specify the extent of the damage, but noted the preserve required some repairs. More than 1,000 animals on the Safari West wildlife preserve were safe from imminent danger as of Wednesday, though the Santa Rosa park remained at risk with wildfires that were continuing to burn across Wine Country.įlames had licked the perimeter of the 400-acre preserve and luxury campground on Porter Creek Road, said Safari West spokesperson Jared Paddock, but the animals, including giraffes, cheetahs and rhinoceroses, were safe within their enclosures Wednesday evening and not being evacuated. This story is developing and will continue to be updated. Preston Gannaway/GRAIN/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less Preston Gannaway/GRAIN/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 8 of8 A demoiselle crane at Safari West in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Wednesday, April 6, 2015. Preston Gannaway/GRAIN/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 7 of8 Karin Zolnick and her son, Ryan, 12, feed the giraffes during a private behind-the-scenes tour at Safari West in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Wednesday, April 6, 2015. Preston Gannaway/GRAIN/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 6 of8 Scenes from one of the glamping tents at Safari West in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Wednesday, April 6, 2015. Preston Gannaway/GRAIN/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 5 of8 An ostrich wanders by one of the glamping tents at Safari West in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Wednesday, April 6, 2015.
Ramin Rahimian/Special to The Chronicle RAMIN RAHIMIAN / Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 4 of8 A flamingo at Safari West in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Wednesday, April 6, 2015. Marker is the world's foremost cheetah expert. The privately owned preserve and zoo spans 400 acres that they call the 'Sonoma Serengeti.' Preston Gannaway/GRAIN/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 3 of8 Gijima, a 13-year-old cheetah, at Safari West in Santa Rosa, California, Wednesday, October 08, 2014.
Preston Gannaway/GRAIN/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of8 Giraffes at Safari West in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Wednesday, April 6, 2015. 1 of8 Guests check out a giraffe from a truck at Safari West in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Wednesday, April 6, 2015.
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