Chestatee Wildlife Preserve and Zoo

About Chestatee Wildlife Preserve and Zoo

Chestatee Wildlife Preserve and Zoo is at 469 Old Dahlonega Highway in Dahlonega, Georgia. Its website says the preserve houses more than 100 exotic and native animals that were rescued because they were orphaned, abused, illegally purchased or simply in need of a forever home. The FAQ page says most of the animals are rescues, orphaned, or were in need of a forever home.

The FAQ describes the visit as self-guided along bark-chip trails. Picnic tables and pavilions are free to use, as long as visitors bring their own garbage bags and take their trash home. Visitors typically spend about 1.5 hours, according to the FAQ.

Exhibits and habitats

The preserve's website lists the following among its featured animals: zebras, camels, watusi, bison, white bison, zedonks, donkeys and capybaras. The FAQ indicates that tigers live at the preserve and says visitors cannot play with them. The donations section of the home page also refers to the preserve's monkeys.

Feeding is a central part of the visit. The field trip page says feed bags are available and that feed chutes allow the animals to be fed safely. The FAQ states plainly that the animals can bite and that feeding is at the visitor's own risk.

The preserve also offers a separate sloth encounter. Its encounters page describes a two-toed sloth named Sissi. The encounter lasts about 20 minutes, and the page lists a minimum age of 8 with a paying adult. Visitors sit and let the sloth approach, and photos and video are allowed. The page says sloths do not like to be held because it is uncomfortable for them. There is one private encounter a day, at 1:30 p.m.; reservations are required and admission is not included.

Conservation and programs

The preserve describes itself as a home for rescued animals. Its home page asks for donations of fresh produce, peanut butter, jelly, raisin bread, beef and chicken, and toddler toys for the monkeys, and says not to bring pork, fish or lamb. It also offers:

• Animal encounters.
• Field trips, for groups of 25 or more, with reservations required. Field trip groups are either self-guided or led by staff. Teachers and chaperones who travel by bus are admitted without charge, and schools with reservations may arrive at 9:15 a.m.
• Birthday parties, with reservations preferred.
• Gift certificates.

Planning your visit

As listed on the preserve's website, it is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Last entry is in mid-afternoon, and the website's pages do not agree on the exact time, so visitors should confirm the last entry time with the preserve before arriving. The preserve is closed during rain, snow and ice, on Thanksgiving and on Christmas Day, and closes at 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Other practical points from the website:

• Pets are not allowed. Service dogs are permitted with proper identification and restraints.
• The preserve is smoke-free, including the parking lot.
• There are no indoor restrooms; the home page lists three porta-potties and a hand-washing station.
• Wheelchairs are not provided, so visitors need to bring their own. Trails are bark chips, and the FAQ says it takes several days to re-bark them after a hard rain.
• The FAQ says Pepsi and Coke products are sold, but no food. Packed lunches are permitted, and visitors must remove their trash.
• Credit cards are accepted with a surcharge, and the FAQ says cash is preferred.

Admission prices are on the preserve's website. The preserve can be reached at (678) 300-0019.