It's a jungle out there at least out there in Strafford.
Exotic Animal Paradise is not only teeming with wild life, the neglected park is teeming with new life thanks to its new owners.
Last week we went out to meet the owners and hear their plans for the future of the park.
Lions and tigers, but no bears.
“Black bears will be the next thing to come in,” said owner Jim Meikle.
Exotic Animal Paradise is also planning to change its name, add giraffes, and maybe some other type of attraction along route 66.
“The core business is the animal park and we know how to do that rather well,” Meikle said.
Jim Meikle is part of Wild Animal Inc.
The company owns a wild animal park in Georgia. This doctor Doolittle wants to do here, what they've done there...
“I've become an animal lover doing it but the main reason is business,” he said
They've totally remodeled the kitchen area, and added new roofs on the buildings.
Steve Oddo has worked here through the transition to new owners.
He was our tour guide through the park.
“We have over 40 species; here are my Sicilian donkeys, fallo deer, sika deer... sometimes you can see all the way around the world in one valley,” he said.
You can drive your own car through the 5 miles of road in the park, or you can take the tram.
But to see the new stars of this park, you should check out the walk through area.
“A week ago we got a rhino in a pen we just built... last Friday two ligers from our Georgia park,” said Meikle.
A liger is a cross between a lion and a tiger.
Sometime next year they'll change to name to Wild Animal Safari.
But there's still one big challenge.
“A percentage of this market still believes the park is closed not open,” he said
Exotic Animal Paradise is very much open for business.
Jim says they're in the middle of an extensive marketing campaign.
They've spent a lot of money on fences and facilities.
And because they're focusing on the animal park, they will not have the Christmas light display this year.