LION COUNTRY SAFARI HAS GIRAFFE DAY EVENTS

LOXAHATCHEE — Though World Giraffe Day was on Thursday, Lion Country Safari is continuing the festivities today.

The park will be hosting free activities, with park admission, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the giraffe feeding encounter, including crafts, meet the giraffe keeper and training demonstrations. There also will be facts about the animal available as well as opportunities to see a giraffe paint, according to the scheduled activities on Lion Country Safari’s Facebook page.

Those who want a more up-close look at the giraffes can sign up for a 30-minute VIP giraffe encounter for $20 per person, but space is limited. All proceeds will be donated to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, according to Haley Passeser, Lion Country Safari spokeswoman.

During the VIP encounter, the group will go to the giraffe preserve in a VIP van and have a more immersed experience with the animals and feed them, said Passeser.

This is the first year the park is offering the VIP encounter and some slot spaces filled up Thursday, Passeser said.

Lion Country Safari says it’s home to one of the largest giraffe herds in the country, with 20 giraffes, four of which are calves younger than a year old.

Besides celebrating the tallest mammal on the planet, the park wants to share a conservation message about giraffes in the wild. Any money donated during the World Giraffe Day activities will support conservation efforts in Africa, Passeser said.