Babies, babies, babies!

The Gentry safari is packed with new arrivals.

By Tabatha Hunter

Posted: August 16, 2009 at 3:56 a.m.

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By Charles Fowler
A pair of baby baboons clung to the leg of caretaker Angela Wilmonth n the petting area of the Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari in Gentry. The baboons are Max, left, and Marie. Marie has her nails painted.

BENTON COUNTY — Alion cub; several baby kangaroos, zebras and camels; and wildebeest galore now call the Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari inGentry home after being born at the park earlier this summer.

Touring the park's walkthrough area, it is not uncommon to see Gabari, a 4-month-old African lion cub, playing with Max and Marie, a couple of rambunctious 4-month-old baboons.

The one-on-one interaction with the animals is why Barbara Noland and Gwen Wood, both of Fayetteville, decided to bring their grandchildren to the park.

"It is really fascinating that (children) can pet the animals and really interact with them," Noland said.

Her grandson, Max Sutherland, 3, of Independence, Kan., watched as the lion cub chased after a diaper-clad baby baboon named Max.

The monkey was Max's favorite part of visiting the park because of the link the two share.

"He has my name," Max said of the baboon.

Evelyn and Grace Carroum, 5-year-old twins from Dallas, Texas, were thrilled when their grandmother, Gwen Wood, handed them a baby raccoon to hold.

"They are awesome," Evelyn said, careful to hold the raccoon just right as her grandmother snapped a picture.

While Grace's favorite animal was the baby baboons, Evelyn really enjoyed seeing thetiny porcupine that was just days old.

"This is just such a treasure to have near us where we can take our grandchildren to see wild and domesticated animals," Wood said.

"It is just so much betterthan a zoo," she said.

In a barn across from the lion cub and baboons' play area, a 5-week-old zebra peeks out, still wobbly on his legs.

Next to the zebra, a bright red puff of hair sticks his head out. Thezebra, it turns out, is friends with a bottle-fed buffalo whois also 5 weeks old.

"What we strive to do is make it a family setting where people cancome out and spend all day if they so desire," said Linda Hook, one of the eight siblings who run the park.

One thing is for certain: Max, Evelyn and Grace all enjoyed their visit to the safari.

Accents, Pages 14 on 08/16/2009

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