The small herd of wildebeests stick to the shady trees at the edge of the pasture while a pair of ostriches, a long-horned cow and an American bison all vie for attention - and snacks - from the group of kids on the wagon pulled by a tractor.
Meg and Colton Morris, who recently welcomed their newborn son, Vance, opened Circle M Livestock Safari Park on 50 acres of land near Boiling Springs last October and offer a unique opportunity for people to see animals from around the world up close.
Colton Morris said they are from Gastonia, and he has been in the exotic animal business his whole life.
He said his family had a private collection, and he grew up in the business.
"I decided to make a career out of it," he said.
Meg Colton is a registered vet technician, and the two share a passion for their farm and its wildlife.
"I bought this farm going on 6 years ago," Colton Morris said. "We didn't initially plan on opening a safari here, we wanted a larger piece of property, but we decided to start here. We would definitely like to expand it in the future."
People can purchase feed buckets and take a wagon ride, included with the price of admission, through the pastures filled with antelope, ostrich, rheas, bison, zebras, cows and wildebeests, tossing out handfuls of pellets, pieces of carrots or other vegetables to the waiting animals. Inquisitive and friendly yaks, Zebu cows and other exotic animals crowd the wagon, eagerly looking for a snack or to satisfy their curiosity.
Colton Morris said they have over 200 animals from six continents.
"Everywhere but Antarctica," he said.
There is a separate petting zoo section for the smaller animals, including tortoises, lemurs, a pair of black and white porcupines named Dayquill and Nyquill, Capybaras, an Asian small-clawed otter and a velvety soft kangaroo named Kobe.
The Morris' said not every single one of the 200 + animals has a name, but most do and include Samuel L. Yakson, the yak, and Mike Bison, the American bison.
Colton Morris said the majority of their animals come from other zoological facilities or from private breeders around the United States. He said in addition to providing education and a unique opportunity to see unusual wildlife up close, in some cases, as with the lemurs, which are only found on Madagascar and whose habitat is threatened, they help stave off extinction.
"They are thriving in the U.S. in captivity," he said. "Thanks to that, they'll never go extinct."
The enclosures are well maintained, and he said the animals enjoy and are enriched by interactions with people.
"Our animals are our top priority," he said. "We enjoy sharing our passion with the public and helping educate the public on animals."
Among his favorite of all the animals are the wildebeests because they are such an iconic African animal.
Circle M, which is located at 117 Doris Drive, Shelby, is open Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and also accommodates field trips and birthday parties.
General admission is $15, and season passes are $60.
For more information, visit their website, circlemsafaripark.com or find them on Facebook.
Reach reporter Rebecca Sitzes at rsitzes@gannett.com.
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