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Texas
Romantic Getaway: Fossil Rim
“In 1983 we
both decided that life was too short to continue what we were
doing,” recalled Jurzykowski. “We moved onto a sailboat
and had visions of sailing around the world. We saw a documentary,
and it started us on a long journey, and we started hatching
out some plans.” Those plans eventually
led the couple to Glen Rose, southwest of Fort Worth, and to
the ranch which would become Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (US
67, 3 miles west of Glen Rose, 2155 County Rd. 2008, 254-897-4967;
www.fossilrim.com),
a 3,000-acre privately-owned conservation center. Something
about the rugged landscape of the Texas Hill Country struck
a resonating chord. “I really felt that it was meant to
be and that we were supposed to be here,” says Jurzykowski. What this couple
created was a unique park where, for a few days, guests live
among 1,000 animals representing 30 endangered and exotic species.
Visitors enjoy air-conditioned and centrally heated tent cabins,
gourmet meals, and all the joys of a safari without any of the
hassles. “Imagine yourself
going to Africa without the plane ride, the shots, or the worries,”
said Christine Jurzykowski. “There are two main differences
between what you experience in Africa and what you’ll see
here. Here you will see more animals in a shorter time, and
here you will not see something like a cheetah killing a gazelle.
Otherwise, in terms of behavior, you will witness things here
you would see in Africa but you will do it in extreme luxury.” Texas is dotted
with drive-through animal parks, but Fossil Rim is in a class
by itself, combining entertainment with education and scientific
research. "It’s been a rollercoaster ride with lots
of lessons and journeys," recalled Jurzykowski. “As
we’ve learned, it has been a plus that we weren’t
trained. We were able to bring a different perspective. Fossil
Rim has moved to bring new resources into conservation.”
Today the center employs as many as 80 people, whose jobs range
from construction to education to research. Visiting scientists
from around the world conduct internships at the center. The couple created
a living laboratory focused on endangered species, but with
the general public in mind as well. Visitors can enjoy Fossil
Rim for one day or several. One of the most
exciting activities at Fossil Rim is a trip to the Intensive
Management Area, a part of the ranch open only to safari visitors
and those who take part in behind-the-scene tours. The IMA houses
special residents such as red wolves, which are long-legged
maned wolves from South America, cheetahs, black rhinos, and
Attwater’s prairie chickens. Although it might seem that
the cheetah and the Attwater’s prairie chicken, a native
of the Texas coastal plains, have little in common, they share
a sad fate: both risk extinction without the efforts of agencies
like Fossil Rim. This facility has the first of only three captive
populations of the Attwater’s prairie chickens in the world
(less than 500 are living in the wild). When settlers first
crossed the coastal plains to settle the West, these birds numbered
over a million. Fossil Rim’s
cheetah breeding program has been highly successful, so much
so that now approximately 20 percent of all cheetahs in the
U.S. trace their lineage back to the Center. The cheetahs are
housed in a long, narrow containment, permitting them to race
around their enclosure at the blinding speeds they would clock
in the wild. In addition to the breeding program, Fossil Rim
also conducts several research projects aimed at increasing
the cheetah’s chances of survival. In one such project,
Fossil Rim, along with Washington, D.C.’s National Zoo,
is studying the cheetah’s reproductive physiology. From
this project came the first surviving litters of cheetah conceived
through artificial insemination. The cubs were born in 1992. After a day of safari
activities, guests head back to camp for cocktails and an elegant
dinner of Rock Cornish game hen or tenderloin of pork. After
dinner, everyone gathers on the deck to enjoy a campfire and
swap stories about the day’s safari. Visitors can also
continue their nature viewing, albeit thousands of miles away,
through powerful telescopes aimed at the heavens. Finally, Fossil
Rim also welcomes day visitors to enjoy a nine-mile drive through
the ranching animals along the way. This drive winds through
four areas, each containing free-roaming animal populations
moving in herds. You’ll probably see sable antelope, Grevy’s
zebra, oryx, and greater kudu, as well as gazelle and ostrich.
The highlight for many is a chance to feed the reticulated giraffes--shy,
silent giants that tower nearly as high as the oak trees. Halfway through
the drive, guests can stop at The Overlook for a chance to stroke
a pot-bellied pig at the petting farm, shop in the nature store,
grab a burger at the snack bar, or stretch their legs on a short
nature walk. The best attraction at The Overlook is, as the
name suggests, the panoramic view. Here, from atop the fossil-encrusted
rim for which the ranch is named, guests can see across the
valleys and surrounding hills. For exotic animals thousands
of miles from their native lands, this Texas ranch is more than
just a new home. By providing protection from the forces that
have brought them near extinction, Fossil Rim offers endangered
species something more: hope. Short
and Sweet Getting There:
Nearby Attractions:
Festivals: Love Nests: Outside town, the
elegant yet rustic Rough Creek Lodge (800-864-4705, www.roughcreek.com)
is a favorite, especially among couples in search of soft adventure
activities including hunting and fishing. Bridal Bits:
For More Information:
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Lovetripper.com Romantic Travel Guide
The
founding of Fossil Rim was the result of a dream shared by many
couples: to one day leave their jobs, travel around the world,
and, find a job that becomes a passion they both can share.
Two decades ago, that’s exactly what happened to husband-wife
team Jim Jackson and Christine Jurzykowski. Jackson was a former
decorated U.S. Army helicopter pilot and custom woodworker with
a sailboat-building company, Deerfoot Yachts. Jurzykowski had
been a film producer whose New York company produced everything
from commercials to feature films (including The Handmaid’s
Tale).
