who we are
Wendt’s Wildlife Adventure is a family-owned business that opened to the public in 2021, but we have been providing exotic animal zoos, pig races and camel rides to events across the eastern United States since 1996. Shaun is the third generation of his family to carry on the family legacy of animal husbandry. After moving to Kentucky from Wisconsin, he and Julie, along with their children Colt, Eli and Eva, began Animal Enterprises.
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Many Kentucky residents are acquainted with us through our participation in Southern Lights and the Bluegrass Fair. In 2018, after moving to Nicholas County, we began building our dream of getting off the road and establishing a permanent wildlife park. We are happy to welcome you to our family farm.
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- Shaun & Julie Wendt
CREDENTIALS:
We are a privately owned facility that operates solely on sales generated by our visitors. We are licensed by the following agencies, and have been in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act since our beginning in 1996.
The Kentucky State Veterinarian Office
Kentucky Fish & Wildlife
United States Department of Agriculture
zoo manners
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WWA is a non-smoking facility.
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Do not feed animals anything you have brought in.
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Animal food is sold on site, and may be fed to many of the animals, but for the safety of the animals we do not allow any food brought in to be fed.
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Pets and Service Animals: For the safety of our animals and guests, we ask that you please leave your pets at home. Even the most well-behaved pet can react to unfamiliar animals in unexpected ways, and even the scent of a dog may cause an animal to be frightened. Service dogs as defined by the ADA are welcome. Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as “a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability.” Emotional support animals do not qualify as service dogs.
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No balloons or dangerous objects are allowed. Many animals will eat unknown objects which can cause them great harm. Please do not allow animals to chew on anything besides the food they are meant to eat. If an object accidentally goes into an animal enclosure, please notify a staff member immediately.
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Teasing is mean. Please be respectful to the animals. No teasing, chasing, yelling at or hitting an animal will be tolerated.
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Covid-19 Policies: We here at WWA want to provide a safe and fun experience for everyone. At this time we do not require masks for our guests or staff. However, this is subject to change based on CDC guidance, and we do ask that everyone is respectful of other guests and their personal space.
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faq
Is your facility handicapped accessible?
Most areas are accessible; however, many of the paths are gravel and may be somewhat difficult for some people. The bathrooms are handicap accessible. Although some guests may experience difficulty accessing some areas of the grounds, we think everyone will be able to enjoy their visit, even if somewhat limited. Being a new business having opened in 2021, working towards making all paths & areas easily accessible is a top priority, but it will take time as funds become available.
Can I purchase tickets online?
At this time we do not sell tickets online. All admission tickets are sold in person at our admissions counter.
Can we feed the animals?
Yes! Many of the animals can be fed animal food which is available for purchase.
Do you take donations of produce?
Yes! Our animals eat a LOT of produce, and we will gladly accept donations of fruits & vegetables if you have an abundance you would like to share. However, you must contact us to set up a time to drop them off, and we do not allow you to bring them in to feed during your visit. We will use them within our feeding program.
How long should I plan our visit to last?
The length of your visit can vary greatly because of each person’s personal interests, but on average many people usually are here 2-3 hours. A very few people go through quickly and will only take 1-1.5 hours. But the majority will linger and stay 3-5 hours. And if you bring a picnic and want to just enjoy the day, you can stretch your visit into a full day.
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Can we get into the creek?
We are all about having fun in nature. You are welcome (at your own risk) to get into the creek and splash around, hunt for crawdads, water snakes and other critters, or just cool off.
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May I bring outside food and drinks?
We offer cold drinks, coffee, tea and snacks such as ice cream, slushies, chips, jerky and candy, and greatly appreciate any purchases you make here since all of the proceeds go towards taking the best care of our animals and the wildlife park. But we do also allow outside food to be brought in.
Can I re-enter if I leave?
With your admission you will receive a hand stamp which is good for the entire day, so you may leave and re-enter until we close at 5:00 p.m.
Can I bring a stroller or wagon?
Yes! You may bring your stroller or wagon.
Do you have a picnic area?
Yes, picnic tables are scattered around the grounds.
Do you have a lost & found?
Yes. You can ask for the lost & Found in the Gift Shop
Can I bring my pet or service dog?
For the safety of our animals and guests, we ask that you leave your pets at home. The most well-behaved pet can react to unfamiliar animals in unexpected ways. And even the scent of a dog may cause our animals to be frightened and cause unnecessary stress.
Service dogs as defined by the ADA are welcome. See Zoo Manners above for details.
directions/location
from lexington
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Follow S Limestone and Old Paris Rd to US-27 N/US-68 E/Paris Pike
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Follow US-68 E to KY-36 in Nicholas County
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Continue on KY-36. Drive to KY-32. Turn left onto KY-36
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Continue straight onto KY-32
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Wendt's will be on the right
from maysville
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Head west on Forest Ave toward Wood St
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Sharp left onto US-62 W/Coughlin Blvd
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Continue to follow US-62 W
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Continue straight onto US-68 BUS
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Continue onto US-68 W
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Turn right onto Maysville Rd
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Wendt's will be on the left