Send a postcard from Sequim
This bear, retired from active film-making,
still remembers how to win an award-
in this case; it's a slice of bread.
The Olympic Game farm,
an 87 acre wild-animal ranch, was created in the 1960s by Lloyd and Catherine
Beebe. Lloyd was working with Walt Disney as animal trainer and camera-man, and
this former dairy farm became headquarters for the retired animal actors - and
also for other wild animals needing homes.
There's a petting zoo for the children.
You can take a walking tour, which includes the film barn... to see the film sets and other mementos.
But... for going the distance,
The most frequently chosen option seems to be the vehicle tour - you drive your car through the Farm- and feed the critters, who aren't bashful about coming up to the car windows and - okay - stopping traffic, for a handout.
The Farm allows them to be fed day-old slices of whole wheat bread - and two
loaves barely made it around the first trek. We were warned to watch out for
the aggressive Zebra, and not tease him... Six months later the zebra was banished to 'his own pasture' and not allowed to mingle with the visitors, as he did nibble an extended piece of bread up to the hand that held it. (You're supposed to toss the slices at them, not expect daintiness on the part of the animals.)
...and next there were the bears- twins, singles, large, modest in size-
they were all so good at the acting part, earning their slices of bread - the
litle hams!
Now we were down to just a few slices left in the bread bag and many feet to
go before we could replenish the supply... these guys didn't hesitate to
aproach the cars and chew on the steering wheel if there were no handouts!... and the window was not rolled up!
They are BIG!
and then there's the bison!...
Footprints embedded into the concrete are trail markers here.
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© Helen Hille and deebrrs, 2003
Last updated june 2 4, 2003