Sierra Safari Zoo

First opened in 1990, the Sierra Safari Zoo was the vision of Dale McDaniel, Jimmie Martin, and Dave Dawson, who had for years collected exotic animals as a hobby, beginning with ostriches. They added an African lion named Claude and a male "liger" named Hobbs. Before long, there were more than 150 permanent residents, cared for by a team of over 50 volunteers.

Today, the Sierra Safari Zoo seeks "to foster compassion for and knowledge about animals" in the Reno-Sparks area. It has grown to become a permanent fixture in the local community the largest zoo in Northern Nevada with more than 200 animals in over 40 different species. Now on display there are zebras, camels, sloths, lemurs, and cavies, six kinds of monkeys and eight types of wild felines, including lions, tigers, and leopards.

Supported by the sheriff's community work program, the Sierra Safari Zoo continues to promote empathy for animals everywhere through its day-to-day operations. It is located at 10200 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89506-9203. Operating hours are from 10am till 7pm daily except holidays from April 1st through October 31st; closed in winter. The price of admission is $7 for adults, $6 for children aged 3~12 and seniors over 55 years; and free for children two and under. The first Monday of each month is free admission day for everyone.