Asian Water Buffalo Lake Tobias Wildlife Park

4.9 (567) · € 15.00 · En Stock

Since 1965 Lake Tobias Wildlife Park has been fascinating patrons with its wild, exotic animals and adventure-seeking safari tours. The late J.R. Tobias founded the park on the same property where he was born and raised. He and his wife, Pauline, reared their seven children here before his passing in 1996. Mrs. Tobias still resides in the farm house. J.R always had a fascination with animals, especially unusual and exotic ones. He had originally planned to attend college studying animals and agriculture, but in 1943, he decided to join the military and chose to serve as a U.S. Marine. J.R. once commented that his desire to open a wildlife park was actually “just a hobby to fall back on in my retirement.” He also had the unique idea of touring the herds in their natural habitat by transforming school buses into “safari cruisers.” It is an idea that has since been duplicated by other zoos today. The stream-fed lakes located throughout the park were constructed by Mr. Tobias using the heavy equipment he owned for his excavating and grading business. J.R. was self-employed his entire adult life owning several businesses both before and during his years of maintaining Lake Tobias. In addition to the excavating business, he had also owned a dairy, a cement block manufacturing company, and a John Deere farm machinery business, all of which were housed and operated from the family homestead.