Lion Country Safari, Inc - Laguna Hills in United States


Lion Country Safari, Inc - Laguna Hills
Typezoo
Founded1970
Closed down1984
Address Laguna Hills
Place Irvine
Country United States
Related persons
Owner
Directors
Key People
Veterinarians
Elephant department
Head keepers
of elephants
Elephant keepers -1983: Lee Keaton (elephant keeper)
: David Wilson (elephant keeper)
Record history
History of updates2010-10-06
Latest document update2020-10-30 07:03:11
Description

Lion Country Safari, Inc - Laguna Hills, located at Laguna Hills, in Irvine, United States , was founded in 1970. Lion Country Safari, Inc - Laguna Hills closed down in 1984.

Casualties

2 casualties
  1. 1983-07: elephant keeper David Wilson attacked by Misty. David Wilson Survived.
  2. 1983-07-24: elephant keeper Lee Keaton fatal attack by Misty. broke free from her chains at Lion Country Safari in Irvine, California and turned on game warden Lee Keaton, crushing his Skull and killing him instantly. † Lee Keaton Died 1983-07-24

Comments / picturesAn escaped elephant killed a motorist on the 405 freeway and had to be euthanized.


In 1972, the Laguna Hills Lion Country Safari in California imported seven Asian calves and dubbed them the "Seven Dwarves." They came from Thailand and cost $800 per elephant. Shortly thereafter they were transferred to the West Palm Beach Lion Country Safari in Florida, minus one that died beforehand.
Sneezy (SB160) was sold to the Memphis Zoo in July 1974 and has resided at the Tulsa Zoo since 1977. Happy (SB208) and Grumpy (SB168) were sold to the Bronx Zoo in March 1977. Happy still lives there with two other females Asian elephants, whereas Grumpy died in 2002. Dopey (SB148, later renamed Cindy) and Bashful (SB151, later renamed Jaz) were sold to Howard Johnson in May 1978 and transferred to his son Gary Johnson of Have Trunk Will Travel in 1987, eventually joining the George Carden Circus in 1993 where they still perform today. Doc (SB272, later renamed Vance) was sold to Bill Swain in June 1980, sold again to Mike Hackenberger of the Bowmanville Zoo eight years later, and died in 2007. The last dwarf, Sleepy, was the calf that never left California.

References for records about Lion Country Safari, Inc - Laguna Hills

Recommended Citation

Koehl, Dan (2025). Lion Country Safari, Inc - Laguna Hills, Elephant Encyclopedia. Available online at https://www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=1017. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Litterature about Lion Country Safari, Inc - Laguna Hills

Recommended Litterature:

Random literature As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases


Search more with Google for Lion Country Safari, Inc - Laguna HillsThe link will automatically include Lion Country Safari, Inc - Laguna Hills and open a new browser window.


Search more on the Internet Web for Lion Country Safari, Inc - Laguna HillsThe link will automatically include Lion Country Safari, Inc - Laguna Hills and open a new browser window

Categories zoo in United States | United States Portal | northamerica Portal


About this documentThis document was updated: 2020-10-30 07:03:11 with valid HTML5 Valid CSS


Disclaimer & Privacy
Elephant Consultant Dan Koehl
Sweden: Kårbodavägen 39, S-184 97 Ljusterö
Cambodia: c/o Lindas, Sok San Road, Siem Reap
Thailand: c/o Maetaman Homestay, Chiang Mai
Email: webmaster@elephant.se

Your ip: 3.135.222.93

Visitors to Website
For Live update, click!

Webdesign by AumPage Network Aumpage Network