About Us:
The Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo spans 210 acres and boasts more than 260 animals. Originally a cattle ranch, in 1997, Dan Franklin began adding buffalo and removing cattle. His herd of buffalo grew to more than 300 and was, at one time, the largest herd east of the Mississippi River. Construction of the zoo began, and the Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo officially opened in November 2001. The zoo has grown over the years to include an expansive range of exotic animals, a reptile exhibit, petting zoo, playgrounds, and a Chickasaw Indian Village.
Home to one of the tallest giraffes in the United States, Tall Boy towers over the park at 19 feet tall. The park is also home to world famous, Oliver, a Capuchin monkey whose two escapes in 2007 made newspapers all over the world. His escapes were even mentioned on The Colbert Report and David Lettermans Top 10 List. Oliver is now the proud father of 6 baby Capuchin monkeys. Tall Boy and Oliver have lots of neighbors such as zebras, an African Lion, Ring-tailed Lemurs, camels, and yak!
The park is a wonderful adventure for children and adults featuring guided tours, a petting zoo, pony rides, zip lines, playgrounds, and more! Pavilions are open to reservations for parties, and our picnic area is the perfect place for a peaceful lunch with your family and friends. Guided tours are available through the Buffalo Park on our Monster Bison Bus where you may come face to face with buffalo, zebra, Watusi cattle, and many other animals. You will learn not only the history of our park, but also the history of the buffalo and Native Americans
