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
Scottie Scheffler handcuffed by police at PGA Championship for not following orders after traffic fatality
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was detained by police Friday morning on his way to the PGA Championship, with stunning images showing him handcuffed as he was led to a police car. ESPN reported he failed to follow police orders during a pedestrian fatality investigation.
NEW What a wildfire survivor says she regrets not grabbing before leaving home
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
Ontario sees first measles death in more than a decade after young child dies
A young child has died of measles in Ontario, marking the first death in the province from the highly contagious virus in more than 10 years, a Public Health Ontario report confirms.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
'Ugly produce': One way Canadians are shrinking rising grocery bills
As the cost of food in Canada has risen, grocery shoppers are looking at ways to reduce their grocery bill, and more are choosing price over beauty, turning to companies that deliver so-called 'misfit' produce at a fraction of the cost.
Vatican revamps norms to evaluate visions of Mary as it adapts to Internet age and combats hoaxers
The Vatican on Friday radically reformed its process for evaluating alleged visions of the Virgin Mary, weeping statues and other seemingly supernatural phenomena, insisting on having the final say in whether the events are worthy of popular devotion.
Wildfires are dampening against cool, rainy weather, but there's plenty left to contain
An opportune system of cool, wet weather Friday is dampening the spread of wildfires across Western Canada, but there's still plenty of work for responders and residents alike.
Jessica Biel hopes to normalize the conversation around menstruation with a new children's book
Jessica Biel is the author of a new children’s book focused on destigmatizing and normalizing the conversation around menstruation.
5 secrets to moving better and preventing avoidable injury
Countless people seek emergency care for back pain, muscle strains and similar injuries resulting from 'moving wrong' during mundane, everyday tasks such as bending over to tie shoes, lifting objects or doing household chores.