Black Bears and Other Animals at Bearizona

Bearizona! We were driving home from Ouray, Colorado when we saw a huge sign advertising Bearizona Wildlife Park near Williams, Arizona. Since we love all things wild, we couldn't resist stopping to find out what it was all about.  I must say I was completely surprised by the size and quality of this facility especially since I have never heard of it.

Bearizona Wildlife Park - This park is located in Williams, Arizona about three hours from Henderson, NV, or 3 1/2 hours from Las Vegas. The attendant said it has been open about five years, but the facility looks brand new.  It is well kept with broad walkways, a snack shop, and two gift shops, and large, natural animal enclosures. There is a walking area with a baby bear area that contains four baby bears, a large juvenile bear area, bobcat enclosure, river otters, badgers, javelina, a peacock that roams freely, porcupines, foxes, a birds of prey show, and numerous farm animals.  There is also a separate drive-through area with wolves, bison, and older bears, Big Horn sheep and Dall sheep. You can drive trough the area in your own car of take the bus. We didn't have time to do the drive through so I can't comment on that part of the park.

Baby Bear at Bearizona

The baby bears were definitely that most popular attraction in the walk-through area.  The four little black bears kept up there antics even though some of them looked like they might fall over with exhaustion at any moment.

Baby Black Bears playing at Bearizona Wildlife Park

The four black bear cubs kept visitors' attention with their continuous play fighting: jumping on each other, knocking each other over, and play attacking. They seemed to be completely oblivious to the viewers only six feet away.

Baby Black Bear at Bearizona Wildlife Park in Williams, Arizona

One of four black bear cubs at Bearizona Wildlife Park. This little bear seemed very tired and about to fall over from exhaustion.

One of two badgers at Bearizona Wildlife Park. 

The two badgers were interesting to watch because they didn't really seem to get along very well. They were quit aggressive towards each other often growling and wrestling with each other.

Owl at Bearizona Wildlife Park

The birds of prey show is one of the highlights of the walk-through area at Bearizona. Children and adults alike get a kick out of the birds flying back and forth so low that you can feel them as they pass. 

Friendly Goat at Bearizona Wildlife Park
 Children love petting the friendly goats at the park, and the goats seem to enjoy it too.

Porcupine at Bearizona Wildlife Park

River Otter at Bearizona Wildlife Park

The playful otters seemed to be having a great time at the park. They also seemed to like the visitors and would often pop up near the glass enclosure and surprise the guests.

Grey Shrike - Butcher Bird

 Grey Shrike - Butcher Bird

I was excited to see this bird again this morning.  I saw one for the first time a few weeks ago when taking the dogs for a walk in the desert near my house.  I was surprised that it didn't fly off right away with the dogs running all around, and had plenty time to study its marking. I didn't have my camera with me at the time, and probably wouldn't have gotten a very good picture anyways because it was getting dark, but I went right home and looked it up. I think it is a Loggerhead shrike. According to what I read shrikes are known as butcher birds because they hunt somewhat like hawks. They wait on perches and swoop down on birds, lizards, and other small animals. Because they don't have talons like hawks, they skewer their catch on cactus spines and thorns or stuffs them between rocks to eat them.

Gambel's Quail

Gambel's Quail on rooftop   

Quail are one of my favorite birds. I love their personalities. They strut around with their plumes sticking out in front of them, always trying to keep up with the covey, calling to each other to keep tabs on where they are so they don't get left behind. You can always tell when quail are around because they never stop talking. There is nothing more entertaining than seeing a trail of little quail following the adults across a street with there little plumes bobbing up and down in front of them, all in a row like a mother duck and her ducklings. I have lived here for over 14 years and have only been seeing quail in this area for the last couple of years.  Last year they really seemed to move in and now we see them everywhere, usually near houses next to open desert, sometimes on our street in the Mesquite Trees when the seedpods start to fall, but there are a lot of cats that probably keep them away. Prior to last year I would see them in the desert near our house on really wet years, but mostly I just saw them at the bird preserve and other wetter areas.