Arizona's Amazing African Animal Adventure

It's hard to believe that in Arizona an ex-professor of Russian literature operates a successful wild game ranch where such exotic things as kudu, cassowary, eland, rare topi and black buck antelopes roam a 400 acre game reserve. Julian Biddle's Arivaca ranch closely duplicates the environment of Africa and parts of India. Every day it is progressively more rewarding for the growing herds of African and Indian wildlife thriving in the same southern Arizona range lands from which the once ubiquitous Sonoran pronghorn antelope has all but vanished.

Biddle who calls himself a conservationist operates the ranch strictly on an experimental basis. His ranch is not open to hunters. "The beauty of the animals is not in hunting them. It is a meaningful and valuable experience to see large herds in their natural habitat rather than in the cages of a zoo." When Julian Biddle officially opens his game reserve to the public there will be details of spectator transportation to work out. One possibility, he muses, is the use of "People cages" towed by four-wheel drive vehicles. Many places like mine use them, the idea being to keep people in the cages and the animals outside, for the people's protection.

Julian Biddle resigned a professorship at Northwesternern University to enter the cattle business and to indulge in a sideline hobby of raising wild animals. After learning of a plan to introduce exotic species into New Mexico Biddle decided to turn his projected hobby into a career. He gathered his first animals from zoos and game preserves and fenced 140 acres in what is considered one of the finest pastures in southern Arizona. The antelope's diets are supplemented with hay but the animals thrive on the excellent ground cover. Biddle's ranch has irrigated pastures in addition to the natural growth. A recent planting of African cane grass is six feet tall.