Fossil Rim Wildlife Center

On September 2nd, I took a trip to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. Fossil Rim is a 1,800-acre drive-thru park with over 1,100 animals to observe. It is located in Glen Rose, Texas, which is about 60 miles from Fort Worth. I left Fort Worth at 8:30 AM and started my Fossil Rim adventure at a little after 9:30 AM. 

The first animal I saw at Fossil Rim was the scimitar-horned oryx, a white, antelope-looking creature with horns that curled back behind its head. This animal met us at the gate, and I knew I was going to see several unusual animals during my drive. 

The next animal I saw was probably my favorite new animal I saw, the blackbuck. It had black fur, and long, spiral horns that it used to scratch its back. It had several scratches and scars on its body that I figured had to be from it scratching itself so much.

A European red deer, which is about as large as a moose, stuck its head in the window of our car to look for food, which surprised me because its rack of antlers was massive. I think if it didn't have as large of antlers as it did, it would have tried to climb in the car with us. 

About halfway through the drive, there was a rest stop with a petting zoo full of emus and sheep. While there, I learned about the unique digestive systems of the sheep and the history of the emu. When I pet the sheep, I didn't really know what to expect, but its fur was coarse and a lot thicker than I thought it was going to be.

The most exciting animal to see was undoubtedly the giraffe. I have seen a few giraffes in the Fort Worth zoo and a few others, but being able to see one up close was fascinating. The giraffe I saw was going from car to car, sticking its head in each sunroof and window trying to find some food. One of the strangest experiences of my life was feeling the giraffe's tongue when it ate food from my hand. 

The Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is a great experience that everyone in the DFW area should take advantage of. I have always felt wary going to the zoo, because I hate seeing the animals caged and not having enough space, but Fossil Rim gives the animals a safe environment and plenty of space to roam freely.