One thing that I think is quite easy to see when it comes to Vy and me, is that we are complete animal lovers. So it was a no-brainer when I was looking for a unique birthday present for Vy. After hearing about and researching Animal Tracks Inc. and their “Monkey Experience,” I couldn’t buy those tickets fast enough!
STATS:
Where:
Animal Tracks Inc. website– Agua Dulce, California off the 14 freeway in the Santa Clarita Valley. For more information, check out their website.
Parking:
free parking at the sanctuary
Tour length:
varies from 1 to 3 hours. Check out their website for more information on the different types of tours they offer.
Ideal Weather:
They open year-round by reservation, weather permitting. It can get pretty hot in Agua Dulce so plan your trip accordingly. For the safety of the animals and guests, Animal Tracks will reschedule tours if the weather is too hot or rainy.
Pro tips: Don’t forget to bring some fresh produce to donate to the critters. They will love you forever.
ABOUT THE PLACE:
Animal Tracks is located in Agua Dulce, north of Los Angeles. It is a very unique animal sanctuary. This place was opened as a nonprofit organization in 2008. Ownership was eventually transferred to the Gunderson family who still runs it today. They take a very hands-on approach when it comes to educating everyone about their amazing animals. Most of the animals at the sanctuary were illegally kept as pets. Unfortunately, many of them were neglected. Luckily for them, they now have a place that loves them and gives them the care that they need and deserve.
THE EXPERIENCE:
One of the reasons we decided to do this tour because of how well the animals are treated here. They are never forced to come out and interact with people. These critters are free to decide how much or how little they want to interact with us. As much as I was looking forward to hanging out with the serval (one of my all-time favorite animals), he wasn’t in the mood. So we just had to admire him from a distance. But plenty of the other animals were totally up for having fun with us. Another great thing is that they limit the group size. This ensures that everyone can get their turn to ask questions or spend quality time with all of the critters.
We chose the tour that included the “Monkey Experience” which I must say, is a highlight of our day. When we first arrived at the sanctuary, we were greeted by our guide, Alyson. After a short wait for the rest of our group and a small introduction, we headed up the hill for the epic beginning of our tour. We all sat down at a picnic table with a few bowls of snacks. But the snacks weren’t for us. The next thing we knew, we were joined by Marley and Maci, two of the cutest little Capuchin that you have ever seen in your life. They came out looking well-rested and fresh from a bath. Unfortunately, these little guys seem to find it amusing to bathe in their own urine, with reasons ranging from regulating body temperature to communicating aggression. Therefore, they need to be cleaned up before every tour.
According to Alyson, Marley and Maci adore their bath times. They are such curious little critters. While Maci was all about the food, Marley was the mischievous one. He went around the table and dug into as many purses as he possibly could, as well as pulling on the snap of all the snapback hats there. Marley was obsessed with his reflection in my camera lens so he kept coming over to look at himself. He also just had to know what flavor my gum was as he kept opening my mouth and staring in. Luckily, he didn’t steal my gum. Evidently, peppermint wasn’t his thing. It was adorable to see Marley and his little crush on our tour guide. Their interactions are so heartwarming.
After about 20 minutes with our Capuchin buddies, our next guest came to join everyone at the table. If we thought the Capuchins were tiny, we were in for a real treat. From around a corner appeared a Squirrel monkey that was probably half the size of the Capuchins. His name is Luke. He joined the party, dined on some Cheez-Its, and climbed all over us before our three tiny friends were whisked away to go back to their little mansions.
As fun and adorable as they were, we had to constantly remind ourselves that these little guys are still wild animals. They need to be cared for by professional handlers. They require A LOT of attention and they should not be kept as pets. These little guys can play rough when they want to. Luckily they were perfect little angels for us.
The next primate to come out was probably the most seemingly intimidating of the bunch. However, once Chrissy the baboon was set down on the table, it was evident that she was a very proper lady. It’s a common misconception that baboons are mean. I think their naturally grumpy faces don’t help their case. She politely munched on some grapes before making her rounds to greet all of the guests. It was such a unique experience getting to interact with all of these wonderful animals and see their different personalities.
After the monkey experience at Animal Tracks Inc., we headed back to where we started for the next part of our tour. This was the creepy-crawly portion of the day with tarantulas, scorpions, snakes, a Tegu, and an African Bull Frog. Along with every critter came tons of amazing facts. These guys really know their stuff when it comes to these animals. Alyson was always happy to answer questions. For anyone that was freaking out about all of the crawlies, there was a moment of relief when they brought out an adorable little Kinkajou. We think that this little guy is an adventurer as well because he had some world-class climbing skills.
Don’t get too comfortable with the cuteness just yet. Because immediately after, we saw something large and yellow lurking off in the distance. As it approached, you could start to feel the nerves elevating in the crowd. It was none other than The Terminator, a massive Albino Burmese Python. Vy really impressed me at this point. When we first got together, I talked her into holding a snake at the fair and she was NOT happy about it. But this time, she volunteered to be the first one to hold the snake. I must say I was quite proud. The snake weighed as much as she did. I used to be kind of scared of snakes myself. However, I’ve come to a point where I just know to respect them and give them their space when needed. 
We then ventured back into the sanctuary for the remainder of our experience. Here, we got to hang out with Frank the Tank-the armadillo, emu, ferrets, porcupines, serval, and many others. Another major highlight of the tour was getting to pet a kangaroo and a tiny little Fennec Fox. Vy also made friends with Cheshire Kitty, the Bengal. She was over the moon as we are proud cat parents. All and all, we had an amazing time. I recently talked to the owner of Animal Tracks Inc. She was telling me about their plans for the future. They are working hard to expand and help as many animals as possible. This July they will be getting a special needs lemur as their newest resident.
Since Animal Tracks Inc. is a nonprofit, they need a lot of help. They have a lot of mouths to feed over there and donations are always welcome, If you would like to help an amazing and worthy cause, make sure to head over to their website for donation. We wish them the best of luck. Keep up the amazing work guys! We can’t wait to get back there and visit with all of your amazing animals again real soon.
Happy Adventuring. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, subscribe to our Youtube channel, and sign up for our newsletter!
RECOMMEND GEAR:
Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
• Sunscreen:
There’s not a lot of shades there so sunscreen is a must!
We use eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen. Alba Botanica Hawaiian Sunscreen or Sun Bum Sunscreen
• Closed-toe shoes
You will be hanging out with wild animals, it is always safe to bring closed-toe shoes.
• Water
Water. You’ll be there for a few hours. Always good to bring water.
• Fresh produce donations
The animals always appreciate fresh produce such as romaine lettuce, carrots, apples, bananas, etc.
CAMERA GEAR:
• Camera:
Sony a7 III
• Lenses:
Sony 24 -70mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T Zoom Lens
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX
