Our Animals at Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure

Here in our zoo, you can get face-to-face with a rare white camel, an Indian rhino, a curious orangutan, an ornery aardvark or many of the other 105 species of wildlife at home in our zoo. Great care has been taken to provide our animals spacious and naturalistic environments throughout 65 acres of beautifully landscaped park.

Our Zoo Crew
As you stroll through the zoo, we hope you take the opportunity to visit with one of our zookeepers. This dedicated crew is a huge reason why visiting Rolling Hills is such a unique experience. They are specially trained to enhance the quality of life for our animals, which in turn helps the animals thrive and be extra responsive to zoo visitors. Our zookeepers know the animals well and are happy to relate their own insights about the many animal personalities here at Rolling Hills.


Mandrill



The young baby mandrill, only days old, clings tightly to his mother's chest with his eyes wide open gazing at the brightly colored faces and rumps of the adults. The mother mandrill secures her young infant tightly as she forages for food with her troop. It is a small troop numbering between 40 and 50 made up of the alpha male and his harem of females and young. The noisy deep grunts and high pitched crowing of the troop echo through the forest announcing their presence as they search for roots, fruits, insects, reptiles, and amphibians. The young mother has satisfied her hunger but continues to forage, storing the extra food in her large cheek pouches to eat later.

The males in the troop are colored the brightest with their red noses bordered by blue, and framed with their golden beards. The females were similarly colored though not as brightly. The baby mandrill's interest is peaked when he sees two young males approach each other with their 2" canine teeth bared. This friendly greeting leads to the young mandrills playing and mutual grooming.

As dusk approaches, the troop moves to the trees to sleep through the night. The young mother finds a quiet crook in a high tree for her and her young infant to nestle. She slowly eats the food she stored in her pouch as her baby falls asleep in her arms.

Not much is known about this shy reclusive creature but we do know their numbers are dwindling in their native lands of Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea in Africa. They are listed as a "Threatened" species due to habitat loss through human settlement and agriculture and are considered a bush meat delicacy. Unfortunately their population cannot keep up with the human demand for this "luxury". ..........