Cars to go extinct at Parc Safari, wildlife park to use electric trucks
Engines will no longer be roaring alongside the animals at Parc Safari.
After more than 50 years, the Hemmingford, Que. wildlife park is going car-free for the 2024 season, instead offering visitors rides on electric trucks in its famous Safari Adventure site.
"This year, I'm biting the bullet and taking a chance that people will appreciate driving through our Adventure Safari while a guide tells them and informs them of different aspects of life in the wild," Jean-Pierre Ranger, the owner of Parc Safari. "And going in the park, as you would if you were in Africa, is the intent."
Nine electric Lion trucks, inspired by African safaris, will let visitors get up close and personal with some 300 animals. The transition hopes to offer a more "authentic experience," the park said in a news release.
"Visitors will now have the opportunity to discover the majesty of the wilderness without the noise, vibration, and pollution," it said.
Until now, visitors have driven through the Safari Adventure site in cars, though the park has gradually introduced safari trucks over the past two years. Ranger said the electric vehicles will allow the park to save the gas consumed by 10,000 vehicles.
The park said this new approach will get the "public closer to the wonders of the wild through more intimate encounters and unique sensory experiences such as feeding the animals."
It will also offer an educational component, where guides will share information and anecdotes. Trucks can accommodate up to 50 passengers at a time and are wheelchair accessible, the park said.
Ranger said he's been dedicated to sustainable mobility for decades and has long envisioned this project. He hopes it will be a hit, but so far, reaction has been good. And either way, a car-free park is here to stay.
"The smile on the face of people who come out of the bus on our docking area is a demonstration that it works. Now will all people like it? I don't know. But we're not going back to adding individual automobiles in the five-kilometre-long drive through the safari."
Park Safari opens for its 52nd season on May 17.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6972157.1721587842!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Joe Biden drops out of 2024 race, endorses Kamala Harris to be Democratic nominee
U.S. President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for re-election after doubts were raised about his fitness for office. Soon after, he endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris to take his place in the November election.
Justin Trudeau reacts to Joe Biden announcing he won't run for re-election
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the news that U.S. President Joe Biden won’t run for re-election Sunday, calling Biden a 'true friend.'
Joe Biden wants to pass the baton to Kamala Harris. Here's how that might work
With U.S. President Joe Biden ending his re-election bid and endorsing Vice-President Kamala Harris, Democrats now must navigate a shift that is unprecedented this late in an election year.
The pilot who died in crash after releasing skydivers near Niagara Falls has been identified
NEW YORK (AP) — Officials on Sunday released the name of a pilot who died in a skydiving flight after her passengers jumped from the aircraft near the Niagara Falls.
Woman found dead in the water near Sunset Beach: Vancouver police
Investigators were at Vancouver’s Sunset Beach after a woman’s body was found in the water Sunday morning, according to authorities.
Ottawa man waiting nearly a year for car to be fixed at Acura dealership
An Ottawa man says he’s been waiting nearly a year for his car to be repaired after it was damaged during a storm in August.
Canadian musicians struggle to get visas to perform in the U.S., some cancel shows
Backlogs and processing delays of temporary U.S. visas required by entertainers, athletes and artists has forced some Canadian bands to cancel U.S. tour dates because paperwork wasn't processed in time.
Joy in Newfoundland after 'Lucky 7' fishers survive harrowing days lost at sea
There was a powerful word being repeated in the joyful Newfoundland community of New-Wes-Valley on Sunday: 'Miracle.'
A Florida woman was killed 24 years ago. DNA evidence just helped police make an arrest in the cold case
A Florida woman’s brutal killing nearly 25 years ago may finally be solved after authorities arrested the suspect this week, according to the Sanford Police Department.