Zoobic Safari: Subic Highlight

"The Happiest Place" is the sign that welcomes you at the entrance of the Zoobic Safari, which is located at a deeper and greener area of Subic. Subic used to be the largest naval facility of the US outside the US shores and was abandoned by the military when Mt. Pinatubo exploded in 1990. It is now under the care and administration of the SBMA. After paying the P395 entrance fee, guests are oriented of proper demeanor inside the menagerie. Various animals can be seen inside cages of different sizes.



To give you an idea of how circuitous and how long the safari route is, just look at this map located at the entrance. The entire trip will take almost two hours, and that is even riding the Safari train! Just imagine how long it will take you if you go on foot.








This train will take the guests to various destinations inside the menagerie. The sun becomes bearable and the rough terrain does not pose a problem to guests anymore.










Before hopping in the train, guests were taken to a mini-zoo and one of the birds I found interesting there is the cassowary. Mark, our able guide, shared to us that this bird can create a hole in the human skull if it pecks on it. It's beak is so deadly that we avoided it like the plague.








This is the dromedary or Arabian camel. It is also one of the animals that caught my attention. I have been to other zoos, but seldom are camels featured. I conjure Arabian nights images when I see one.









The guides call this the miniature horse because it is half-the size of the common horses we see in cowboy films. You'll never fear about falling or being kicked off its back if you ride one of these.










Behold the regal ostrich, an interesting fact of this flightless bird is its kick is six times stronger than a horse's. If it were cheap, I'd get one of these to scare away unwanted visitors. Unfortunately an egg of the ostrich costs P1,000. So only heaven knows how much a chick will cost. I dare not ask.








After the mini-zoo, we took off for the tiger safari in our safari jeep for an additional P50. Guests who have their own commute can follow our jeep to the different destinations inside the safari and they need not pay the additional P50.











Inside is a big surprise waiting for us because five, I mean 5, giant cats, er, tigers, unchained, roam inside the secured and tightly watched area. Guests can get really close to these carnivores by dangling chicken through a tiny window in the caged jeepney, as I would call it. In this photo, the tiger, lunges for the chicken.







This is the highlight of the safari ride. A very close encounter with giant cats, er, tigers. I hope I am not a chicken in my next life. I would hate to think I would be a tiger's breakfast.











This is the tiger breeding facility inside the safari. Tigers here are sired from Bengali and Siberian tigers.











This is one of the tigers inside the breeding facility. An interesting trivia about tigers is that, tiger urine odor lingers for two weeks. So guests are cautioned to scuttle as far away from the tiger as they can when it turns its back otherwise you will wear urine cologne for two weeks, eeeeeewwwwww.







This is the museum inside the zoo. It is dedicated to animals inside the menagerie that have died while on active duty...translation: while caged and kept to be viewed by guests. These are stuffed and displayed to be admired further. Who says dead animals cant bring pleasure to people?








Stuffed lizard













For those who have never seen an actual otter, this stuffed one is a good substitute.












This is a stuffed cub, doesn't it look so huggable and cute?












An Aeta hut located at the Aeta trail. This is the second to the last destination in the safari. Aetas are popular for being good hunters and climbers so you can witness a short exhibition of jungle skills here.










We passed by this ethnic mask as we left the Aeta Trail. It's as if it wishes good fortune to the guests (that would be us). But I could be mistaken in my interpretation. Oh well, what I can really say is happiness can be bought for P395 after all.