O
nce known for its rice paddies, White Oak Plantation is now known instead for the wildlife that live on its 7,400 acres. The property sits along the St. Marys River, with the majority of the land on the Florida side. About 1,000 acres are across the river on the Georgia side, mostly as a protective measure to prevent development, according to Brandon Speeg, conservation coordinator for White Oak. The Gilman family acquired the property in the 1930s, and in 1982 Howard Gilman initiated a conservation program for threatened and endangered species on the property. This year, Mark and Kimbra Howard, a Chicago-based family, purchased the property and established White Oak Conservation Holdings to operate and manage the facilities. A key component of White Oak’s mission, under both old and new ownership, has been education and awareness, Speeg said. To achieve this, White Oak holds events to give the public a better chance not only to understand the conservation efforts but also to interact with and see many animals they might not otherwise encounter. One event,“Breakfast with the Beasts,” allows attendees to watch several of White Oak’s cheetahs run on the facility’s lure course. After the runs, handlers bring the cats by the crowd and answer questions. White Oak has one of the largest cheetah running areas in the 44 OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013 | FIRST COAST REGISTER
country, Speeg said, in which the cheetahs can reach speeds of over 50 mph. Besides being educational for guests, the runs provide good enrichment and exercise for the cats, Speeg said. They run several times a week, but the event is only open to the public monthly. White Oak is currently home to 30 cheetahs, and more than 150 cubs have been born there. The animal breeding programs at White Oak are crucial for both research and sustainability. By controlling breeding, the animals can sustain a more genetically diverse population, Speeg said, because the animals can be transferred between other accredited programs. The animals in captivity can also serve as a “fallback population” should populations in the wild become further endangered, Speeg said. In addition to cheetahs, White Oak is home to many other endangered or vulnerable animal populations, including the white rhino, okapi, Grevy’s zebra and giraffe, as well as several species of birds. Besides “Breakfast with the Beasts,”White Oak offers several other public programs, such as “An Evening at White Oak,” which includes an overnight stay, and twice-weekly tours. For more information about White Oak, conservation and programs, visit www.whiteoakwildlife.org.