Chehaw Park, Conservation park and zoo in Albany, United States
Chehaw Park is an 800-acre park and zoo in Albany, Georgia, bordered on two sides by a bayou where Kinchafoonee and Muckalee creeks meet. Its Wild Animal Park, designed by naturalist Jim Fowler, opened in 1977 and features boardwalks through cypress swamps and natural habitat exhibits. The grounds also include hardwood forests and burn-controlled pine/wiregrass areas.
The park opened in 1937 as a recreational green space for the Albany area. In 1977, a wild animal section was added after animals were relocated from other facilities, shifting the site toward its current role in conservation.
The park takes its name from the Chiha, or Chehaw, a Creek tribe who lived around the property and befriended white settlers. Arrowheads, spearheads, tomahawks, hoes, drills, scrapers, clay pipes and stone celts were commonly found during the original park development, and variations in their design show use by different tribes over several hundred years.
The park welcomes both day visitors and overnight guests, with options for tent camping, RV parking, and cabin stays. Wearing comfortable walking shoes is a good idea, as some of the paths cross wooded and swampy terrain.
The animal section was designed by Jim Fowler, known for his appearances on the Wild Kingdom television series. The park also houses black rhinoceros, one of the rarest large mammals on the planet.
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