The Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo may not have officially opened until 2001, but it was actually in the works since 1997. It all began when cattle ranch owner, Dan Franklin, started adding buffalo to his ranch. Before long, his herd had grown to over 300. Eventually, more animals, including several exotic species, were added to the mix. Today, the Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo is home to hundreds of animals and offers a ton of hands-on activities, making it a destination everyone should visit at least once.

At one time a simple cattle ranch, the Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo now spans 210 acres and includes more than 260 animals.
Visit Mississippi/Flickr
The park is home to a variety of animals, including many exotic species that are scarcely found or non-existent anywhere else in the state.
Tina H./Flickr
Tina H./Flickr
tupelobuffalopark.com
Tina H./Flickr
And that includes herds of bison, buffalo, and yak.
Tina H./Flickr
tupelobuffalopark.com
tupelobuffalopark.com
There are also plenty of giraffes...
Tupelo Buffalo Park/Yelp
Tina H./Flickr

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and you can feed them!
Ashley H./Yelp
For an additional $3, you can tour the entire park by taking the open-air trolley...
Tina H./Flickr
Or the Monster Bison Bus. On both tours, you'll learn interesting facts from the guide and get to feed the animals.
Tupelo Buffalo Park/Yelp
The petting zoo also offers a chance to get interactive with the animals.
Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo/Facebook
Feed and pet pygmy goats, sheep, pot-bellied pigs, "Lucy" the miniature cow, "Ellie" the fallow deer, miniature horses and more.
Tina H./Flickr
Tina H./Flickr
The park’s Monkey House is home to a variety of primates, including howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, ring-tailed lemurs, tamarins, and marmosets.
tupelobuffalopark.com
tupelobuffalopark.com
At the Reptile Exhibit, you’ll have the chance to learn about all sorts of reptiles, including Ricardo, the Burmese python – one of the five largest snakes in the world!
Tina H./Flickr
Visit Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo in October and you’ll be in for an extra treat. The park’s annual pumpkin patch, corn maze, and haunted trail will be opened until the end of the month.
Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo/Facebook

Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo is located at 2272 North Coley Road in Tupelo, and is opened Monday – Saturday from 9 am – 4 pm and on Sunday from 11 am – 4 pm. For more information, click here.

Have you ever visited this amazing park? Tell us about your experience in the comments section.

Looking for more one-of-a-kind places in the state? Be sure to read “10 Unique Attractions You Can Only Find In Mississippi.”

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