35 Wild Years
Global Wildlife Center in Folsom, LA, has been a staple experience for children on the north and south shores of Lake Pontchartrain for 35 years.
The up-close exotic animal encounters have imbued visitors with fond memories of feeding a variety of animals such as deer, watusis, and llamas while also ingraining them with a deeper appreciation for fauna and the natural world. Passing this important anniversary, Global Wildlife Center has entered a new age of providing the utmost care for the increasing numbers of animals living on the grounds and their human caretakers.
The pivot from open-air exotic animal zoo to impressive animal conservation facility with close-up encounters stems from the return of Christina Cooper in 2022 and the dedication of owner Maci Matherne, daughter of the late founder Ken Matherne. Cooper's adoration of these beautiful creatures and her noble mission to conserve them has propelled her through nearly every role there starting in 1996 when she was just out of college. She left the center in 2010 to work in the field of animal conservation and rehabilitation internationally but then found her way back to Global Wildlife Center.
"I had the honor of participating in two research projects in South Africa, and they have been critically important in preparing me for the role of executive director at Global Wildlife," Cooper said. "One was at Phinda Private Game Preserve studying black and white rhino, elephant, cheetah, and lion populations and the other at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre rehabilitating and caring for orphaned and injured South African wildlife. In addition to solidifying my passion for wildlife conservation, it also gave me valued experience in animal care and an appreciation for the great obstacles faced protecting wildlife in their home range. That's why I am so proud to have instituted Global Wildlife's Quarters for Conservation Program, where guests to Global Wildlife can make a meaningful connection with our animals and support their native counterparts in the wild." The Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Sahara Conservation Fund, and the International Crane Foundation are some of the nonprofit organizations that have received funds from the Quarters for Conservation Program.
Under Cooper's leadership, Global Wildlife Center has experienced change for the better not just for the increasing number of animals but also gainfully employing the people who care for them. Global Wildlife Center means to be the "best place to work" in Louisiana. The staff has grown in size, including a full-time veterinarian, and they are granted benefits they did not have before.
"We are continually striving to make Global Wildlife Center the best place to work in Louisiana, and there is always work to be done," Cooper said. "It is so important to me to have an organizational culture of respect, inclusivity, and support for our team on all levels at Global Wildlife. Our people are our greatest asset, and we want them to be happy and thrive here. To that end, we are always working to create a warm and welcoming environment for our Global family and increase compensation, professional development opportunities, and benefits as we grow."
Global Wildlife Center's facilities and amenities for people and animals have been modernized with the help of donors who raised enough funds through memberships, animal adoptions, and tree adoptions. Heated barns and shelters were erected for very cold days, and a special apparatus called a chute was purchased to contain the giraffes for veterinary services. Other features that weren't available in the beginning include personal animal encounters with capybaras, kangaroos, and giant tortoises, as well as private Pinzgauer vehicle tours that can get people closer to the animals than ever before.
One gets a sense of the lengths the center has gone through with the preserve animals and the over 900 acres of land the herds freely roam. Père David's deer, which are technically extinct in the wild, cool off in watering holes they dig with their horns. The second-oldest giraffe in North America, named Kameel, is the matriarch of her tower, and her youngest progeny Noah was born in April 2026.
Cooper excitedly stated, "From the beginning, we have maintained around 30 species of animals at our preserve. I'm excited to say that we brought in a species in 2023 that I have wanted for a very long time, the capybara, and have plans to introduce two new species at the Visitor Center in the coming months. We are also in the long-term planning stages for new species in the next several years, ones that we will be very excited to announce and bring to Global Wildlife when the time is right."
As Global Wildlife Center continues to evolve, Cooper, Matherne, and the devoted staff have plans to engage, entertain, and educate new generations while benefitting wildlife conservation programs around the globe.
"I would like to see our Education and Outreach Department expand with a larger team and more opportunities for outreach into the community, as well as the development of our Ambassador Animal Program. I would love to see us add to our successes already achieved in the medical training behaviors for our giraffes and continue to train for full utilization of our new chute system with our veterinary and animal care teams. I'd like to continue to invest in building our passionate team, exciting new memorable experiences, and facility infrastructure so that we can continue to foster global appreciation of wildlife through immersive learning for our next 35 years," Cooper concluded.
