British Columbia Wildlife Park, Wildlife conservation park in Kamloops, Canada
The British Columbia Wildlife Park is a zoo and wildlife facility in Kamloops, Canada, set on rolling terrain and home to animals native to the region. Paths connect a series of enclosures spread across the grounds, giving visitors a chance to observe the animals at close range.
The park opened in 1966 after a local brewery donated the land and community volunteers came together to build it. Over the decades it grew from a modest local project into a recognized facility for the care of regional wildlife.
Many of the animals here come from British Columbia and are species that local people encounter in their everyday surroundings. Walking through the grounds gives a sense of how closely tied these creatures are to the region they come from.
The grounds are easy to walk through and the park is straightforward to reach from central Kamloops. Paths cross uneven terrain, so solid footwear and clothing suited to the season will make the visit more comfortable.
Each year the park takes in more than 600 injured or orphaned wild animals, caring for them until they can be released or must stay permanently. Some of the animals visitors see in the enclosures are there precisely because an injury or early loss of their mother made a return to the wild impossible.
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