Safari Niagara is rooted in giving its visitors a different perspective on animals and nature

Papa Steve’s Family Farm is a unique area of the park that features a miniature barn complete with a farmyard of pint-sized animals.

Safari Niagara got its start as a small hobby farm located out back of Stevensville Garden Gallery. Instead of going fishing, Papa Steve Tykolis started a hobby farm when he retired in 1990. He had a miniature horse, some fallow deer, pea fowl, emu and a few other interesting creatures that he loved to just sit with and talk to. Papa Steve also loved it when family and friends, or anyone that had an interest in animals and birds, would stop by to visit. Papa Steve’s Family Farm is a tribute to the beginnings of Safari Niagara. It’s a special place in the park that gives visitors an opportunity to get closer to the kinds of animals that started it all. 

Did you know that animals typically exchange information using a signal, such as facial expression, sound or touch?

Communication between animals helps them coordinate the vital functions of their lives – namely gathering food, staking out territory, caring for young, defending themselves or interaction with other species such as humans. Most commonly, animal communication is intraspecific (occurring between animals of the same species).

Intraspecific communication also helps distinguish individuals in a particular animal group. Mother gulls learn to recognize the individual calls of their own chicks so that they can quickly find their babies in densely populated gull colonies. Communication can also be inter-specific (occurring between different animal species). Many animals who share habitats learn to use signals from other species as warnings for approaching danger. Tree-living monkeys respond to the alarm cries of other animal to warn of danger. Many animals also have mutual relations that help each other survive or add in some other areas of comfort.

Safari Niagara has created a unique opportunity for people to communicate with animals. We have created an opportunity to communicate through touch, voice and even an odd facial expression or so.

Please make sure to visit Papa Steve’s Family Farm for an up close and personal interaction with other species. Who knows what you may learn or teach another species?