1972 Lion Country Safari In Irvine, CA

Filmed on a Super 8 camera that did not record sound. My parents took me to Lion Country Safari in Irvine, CA. With the Hatari soundtrack in our home, I remember the album cover depicted a Rhinoceros tipping over a jeep with John Wayne inside. Seeing them pass in front of our station wagon was a bit unsettling for me as a kid, lol. Sadly, a male Lion suddenly died next to a tree as we looked on. Overall, I really liked our visit and it truly was an adventure! My father and I are in the final shot riding a hippo paddle boat The California park closed in 1984

[@Pauba1946]

Miss this place so much!

[@MastrMynd]

Orange County Elementary Schools would send students in in school buses, as a field trip. I went in kindergarten, and remember vividly when an ostrich came right up to our bus and looked at me square in the face.
Thanks so much for the video! I was telling a (younger) coworker about this place, we work just a few miles from where it used to be- and he thought I was making it up!
Never would happen these days. But it was a different time back then.
Frazier the Lion was buried out there in the hills- there used to be a giant F
painted on the hill in his honor. He had sired alot of lion cubs and was quite famous at the time.

[@pamelaweber4479]

This footage is amazing. We went there all the time until I was 5 and moved. It inspired me to become a zookeeper.

[@island_viper]

My parents took us there in 1977. We drove all the way from our home in Napa. Nice memory.

[@jillcasal2764]

What great memories for me. My sister worked there as a veterinarian assistant in the very early 70’s. She would bring home the Lion cub’s because they needed to be fed every 2 hours. I was only 9-10 at the time and was so lucky to be able to play with Lion cubs. 😊

[@daneegenes4623]

Great video record of a unique attraction - my family went in '76, but honestly all I remember was the Mold-O-Rama vending machine making me a toy gorilla

[@jamiebrown1036]

I USE TO LOVE THIS PLACE !!! ❤

[@topofthebottom6954]

Memories!

[@mikecarter8880]

Thanks for sharing, loved that place as a kid. That area is all condos/apartments and stores now. :(

[@thelefthandedshooter99]

I lived in El Toro now Lake Forest in the 80’s and never went. I did have friend that worked there when I was in high school.

[@nessa0492]

If only I traveled back in time to se this

[@str8nutz1]

I was there

[@Elcidx25campeador]

I went there once as a boy.
When one drove through you were able to tune your radio to a certain frequency to hear a program about the animals..and advised to keep your windows rolled up...and not to try and feed them

[@ABlastfromthePast]

Great footage, thx for sharing

[@1cnevarez]

I rember this place.. It was scary.. was afraid that my dad's LTD would stop☺

[@user-hx5vh9uh2n]

Nostalgic. I lived on other side of those hills near the dmv.

[@pablovonduckbill7802]

Parts of the food shack are still there in the parking lot of Irvine meadows amphitheater

[@chrispedersen5578]

Our car overheated at Lion Country. Otherwise it was really fun and kind of scary.

[@pablovonduckbill7802]

Poor hippo.

[@matildaweaver6845]

Dear Kennything Goes!, I am part of a student film project for which the director would love to include this amazing clip in the edit. Is this something you would kindly agree to? I would be grateful if you would please email me to discuss further (my email address is in the ‘about’ section of my channel). I look forward to hearing from you! Best regards, Matilda