This Cozy Zoo In Mississippi Lets You See Kangaroos, Sloths, And Capybaras Up Close
Capybaras have a way of making everything better and Mississippi has a zoo that understood that before most people even knew what a capybara was.
Up close access to some of the most endearing animals on the planet, a cozy atmosphere that keeps everything intimate and unhurried, and the kind of family experience that produces genuine excitement rather than the polite enthusiasm of a day out that was fine but not remarkable.
New York has its big attractions but Mississippi has this and this is genuinely special. Go soon, bring patient energy, and accept upfront that the capybara encounter alone will be the story everyone tells for weeks afterward.
A Zoo That Breaks Every Rule You Know
Most animal attractions keep their guests firmly behind barriers. You look, you snap a photo, and you move on without ever feeling a real connection.
That is not how things work here.
At this one-of-a-kind experience in Mississippi, the whole point is closeness. You are within arm’s reach of animals that most people only ever see on nature documentaries.
The tours are private, the groups are small, and every visit feels personal rather than crowded.
Founded in 2016 by Cody Breland, the facility started as a traveling petting zoo before growing into something far more remarkable. Today it houses around 107 animals, most of them rescued rather than bred in captivity.
That rescue-based model means every creature here has a story worth hearing.
The tour guides are passionate, knowledgeable, and genuinely enthusiastic about every animal on the property. You will walk away knowing facts about species you never thought to research before.
General admission is $28 per person, which is an outstanding value for a two to three hour private tour. Reservations are required, and the facility is open Wednesday through Sunday from 1 to 5 PM.
Wild Acres Hands-On Animal Experience Is The Real Deal
Right off 84 Our Rd in McHenry, MS 39561, Wild Acres Hands-on Animal Experience is the kind of place that earns its reputation one animal encounter at a time. The address is simple, but what waits inside is anything but ordinary.
Owner Cody Breland has built something genuinely special here. The enclosures are spacious, clean, and filled with enrichment toys that keep the animals active and content.
Every detail reflects a deep commitment to animal welfare that you can feel the moment you arrive.
The property earned a 4.8-star rating across hundreds of visits, and it is easy to understand why. Families, homeschool groups, couples, and solo adventurers all find something meaningful here.
The atmosphere is welcoming without feeling chaotic, and the pace of each tour allows you to actually absorb what you are experiencing.
Wild Acres also hosts special events throughout the year, including Safari Paint Parties and Safari Camp for children. An Adopt Animals program lets supporters stay connected to their favorite residents long after the tour ends.
You can reach the team at 228-209-9436 or visit wildacresms.com to book your spot before it fills up.
Kangaroos You Can Actually Hold
Red Kangaroos are not exactly the animals you expect to find hopping around rural Mississippi. Yet Wild Acres has made it completely normal to stand just feet away from one and feel your jaw drop in real time.
The real showstopper is the chance to hold a baby kangaroo. Joeys are small, warm, and surprisingly calm when cradled properly.
It is one of those experiences that sticks with you long after you have driven home, washed your hands, and gone back to regular life.
Wild Acres even has a bit of local legend attached to its kangaroo collection. A kangaroo named JoJo briefly escaped the property back in 2019 and made headlines across the region.
JoJo is back and accounted for, and the story has become one of the more charming footnotes in the facility’s growing history.
The kangaroo enclosure is well-maintained and gives the animals plenty of room to move naturally. Guides share fascinating details about kangaroo biology, behavior, and habitat during the tour.
Few experiences in the South can match the pure delight of standing next to a full-grown Red Kangaroo and realizing it is completely at ease with your presence.
Sammy The Sloth Will Change Your Whole Afternoon
Sloths move at their own pace, and honestly, spending time with one feels like a gentle reminder to slow down yourself. Wild Acres offers dedicated sloth encounters that give guests a full 30 minutes with Sammy, the facility’s resident celebrity.
During the encounter, you can hold Sammy, pet him, offer him romaine lettuce, and take as many selfies as your phone storage allows. Luna is another sloth in residence, and both animals are clearly comfortable around people.
Sammy in particular has a calm, almost philosophical energy that is hard not to admire.
Sloth encounters are a separate booking option and tend to fill up quickly. If meeting a sloth ranks anywhere on your bucket list, securing that reservation early is a smart move.
The guides walk you through proper handling techniques so the experience stays safe and enjoyable for everyone involved.
Sammy has become so beloved that owner Cody Breland even named a separate business after him. Chill Sloth Ice Cream and Smoothies in nearby Wiggins opened in August 2024 and features Sammy in a sound-proof habitat on site.
The sloth brand is clearly thriving, and Sammy seems perfectly content with his fame.
Capybaras, Otters, And A Swim You Will Never Forget
Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents, and somehow that fact makes them even more endearing. At Wild Acres, guests can hand-feed and pet Tyson and Sanders, two South American Capybaras with personalities as large as their appetites.
The standard tour already includes up-close capybara interaction, but Wild Acres takes things further with the Otter and Capybara Swim Excursion.
Available for guests aged 10 and up, the swim experience lets you share the water with these remarkable animals in a way that feels completely surreal in the best possible sense.
Capybaras are social, calm, and surprisingly gentle with people they trust. Watching them move through water with total confidence is one of those moments that reminds you how extraordinary the natural world really is.
The guides provide context about their South American origins and natural behavior throughout the experience.
Otters bring a different kind of energy entirely. Quick, playful, and endlessly curious, they make the swim excursion feel like an adventure rather than just an attraction.
Booking the swim add-on requires a separate reservation, and it is worth every bit of the planning effort. Few places in the entire country offer anything remotely close to this level of aquatic animal interaction.
Tigers, Lemurs, And Animals That Demand A Double Take
Bengal tigers are among the most awe-inspiring residents at Wild Acres. Standing near a tiger with only a secure enclosure between you is a perspective-shifting experience that no screen can replicate.
Madagascar lemurs bring a completely different kind of magic. Their wide eyes and acrobatic movements make them look like something invented by a cartoonist, yet here they are, completely real and remarkably expressive.
The variety of species across the property keeps every step of the tour feeling fresh and surprising.
African caracals, black leopards, cougars, mountain lions, and a grizzly bear round out the more powerful residents. Each enclosure is larger than required by regulations, and every animal has enrichment toys to keep them mentally stimulated.
The care put into these living spaces is visible and genuinely impressive.
On the lighter side, porcupines named Danger and Lady Gaga, a fennec fox, golden spider monkeys, tamanduas, coatimundis, and rescued cockatoos named Bobby add humor and variety to the experience. An ostrich named Patrick also makes the rounds.
With roughly 107 animals calling Wild Acres home, no two tours ever feel quite the same.
Plan Your Visit Before Someone Else Grabs Your Spot
Wild Acres operates on a reservation-only basis, and spots fill up faster than you might expect. The facility is open Wednesday through Sunday from 1 to 5 PM, with Monday and Tuesday reserved for the animals and staff to recharge.
General admission runs $28 per person, covering the full guided tour experience. Private groups get personal attention from knowledgeable guides who tailor the experience to your group’s interests and energy.
Plan for two to three hours to take everything in without rushing through any section.
Special events like Safari Paint Parties and Safari Camp for kids give repeat visitors a reason to return throughout the year. The Adopt Animals program is a meaningful way to stay connected to a favorite resident between visits.
Every event on the calendar reflects the same care and creativity that defines the daily tour experience.
All ages are welcome, and the layout is easy to navigate for families with young children. To book your reservation, call 228-209-9436 or visit wildacresms.com.
Wild Acres sits about 40 minutes outside of Biloxi, making it a perfect day trip from the Gulf Coast. Once you go, returning with friends becomes less of a plan and more of an inevitability.