Big Joel’s Safari brings the magic of a zoo right to you
A trio of kookaburras trumpet over the soft bleating of newborn pygmy goats. Nearby camels promenade around their enclosures. Across the yard lemurs chatter away as Scarlett the macaw greets her neighbor Sully the cockatoo with a friendly, “Hi, Sully!”
Welcome to Big Joel’s Safari Petting Zoo & Educational Park in Wright City. This unique walk-through animal destination is home to more than 600 animal residents representing more than 65 species. While you’ll likely see some new-to-you animals, the real magic is how many of the animals you can talk to, touch and feed.
“Our customers are always surprised by all the interaction they can have with the animals,” says Mimi Clinger. She and her husband, Joel, opened the zoo in July 2012.
Every pen, fence, playground and pond were built by or under the direction of Joel and Mimi. In total, the zoo covers around 20 acres right behind their home. They will soon expand the zoo beyond the 20 acres.
Big Joel’s Safari is truly a made-from-scratch zoo. Every enclosure, fence, playground and pond were built by or under the direction of Joel and Mimi. It is a licensed zoo and agritourism attraction that is privately funded. In total, the zoo covers around 20 acres right behind the Clinger’s home, and they plan to add more acres.
Joel’s dream has always been to be a zookeeper. But he put that aside for a few years to focus on football. He served as an offensive lineman for the Mizzou Tigers during the 2002 to 2006 seasons, as he earned a degree in animal science. While attending the University of Missouri, he met Mimi, who grew up in Perryville next door to the veterinary clinic. She considered becoming a veterinarian but chose occupational therapy instead.
Children and adults enjoy seeing the friendly pygmy goats, which have their own playground. The Clingers focus on hand-raising animals, so they know they’ll be safe with visitors.
After college, Joel was picked up to play football with the New York Giants, but an injury kept him from joining the NFL. Instead, he played four seasons in the Arena Football League and worked a construction job.
But he didn’t let go of his zookeeping dream. Joel interviewed several times at the St. Louis Zoo. Every time he placed runner-up among the more than 1,200 applicants.
Not to be discouraged, Joel and Mimi continued their nonanimal career paths, and built their own animal menagerie at their rural Warren County home. “We’ve always had bison, deer, llamas and other animals,” Mimi says. “A lot of our friends said, ‘You should start a petting zoo.’ They all loved coming to see our animals. I attended a class through the Mizzou Extension office about starting a business and thought if others can do it so can we. We weren’t even 30 yet, so we were naive. But we started small.”
At the interactive parakeet encounter, you can purchase a stick coated in sunflower butter to feed the birds in their open aviary. Many of the parakeets will land on your stick, hand and even your head.
Over the years the farm has expanded in animals, acres, staff and experiences.
Admission is $12 for ages 13 and over and $10 for ages 2 to 12. Children under age 2 are free. It has become a field trip destination, and the staff at Big Joel’s Safari will routinely welcome several hundred children per day throughout the school year and summers.
Joel and Mimi brief each group on how to be kind and enjoy the park as they feed and touch the animals. They enjoy watching the kids shriek as they see a new animal or not-so-new animal. “You could have this really rare animal, but instead they get the most excited about a guinea pig or if our house cat gets out,” Mimi says with a laugh.
Big Joel’s Safari has become a field trip destination, and the staff will routinely welcome several hundred children per day throughout the school year and summers. A field trip starts with Joel and Mimi telling the children how to be kind to animals and how to be safe.
A few animals at the zoo are donated but most are either acquired or raised at the zoo. “We keep in pretty close contact with other zoos and exchange animals with them,” Joel adds. “If we are looking for something, we tell our friends and it doesn’t take long for the pipeline to come through for us. It’s kind of like ‘American Pickers.’ ”
From late September through Oct. 31, the zoo transforms into a spooky safari with fall and Halloween decorations. In late November through Dec. 30, the park becomes a holiday destination with Christmas lights, hot cocoa and more. The zoo is closed January through early April as the team repairs, renovates and upgrades the facilities — the less glamorous but important tasks of owning a zoo.
Even with more than a decade under their belts as zoo owners, Joel and Mimi are always looking for new furry, feathery or scaly animals to add to their family. They can’t wait to share their exceptional passion for animals with any person who walks through their zoo gate.
A tamandua, also called a lesser anteater, uses its 16-inch tongue to slurp up insects. Joel says it has one of the most complex diets at the zoo, requiring 16 different types of food or supplements.
What’s On the Menu at a Zoo?
On Mondays, Joel and Mimi Clinger head out on their weekly grocery run to feed their 600 animals. They spend around $500 each week on carts full of fresh produce, meat, eggs, honey and other items. Their local feed store makes a weekly delivery of feed and minerals for livestock and poultry species. Every three weeks they order a specialty dry zoo food for primates, rodents and birds. Each month they receive a delivery of around 500 square hay bales, in addition to the 300 round hay bales they feed in a year. Other items on the menu at Big Joel’s Safari: live insects and frozen rodents.
Big Joel’s Safari is located at 13187 State Highway M in Wright City. For hours, events and admission prices, visit www.bigjoelsafari.com or call 636-745-3031.