There’s a mirror funhouse in the amusement park and other mirrors that bend reflections near the gift shop. But, you haven’t really experienced York’s Wild Kingdom until you look into the mirrors near the exit of the butterfly exhibit, where you’re asked to check your clothes and hair for colorful insects. 

The zoo includes specimens of the world’s largest bird (ostrich), smallest fox (fennec fox) and largest rodent (capybara). There are sleeping tigers capable of killing animals twice their size, squirrel monkeys that climb with the agility of their namesake and wildebeests—a kind of antelope with the head of an ox, mane of a horse and horns of a buffalo. 

The animals are at set up at varying distances from visitors, depending on their wildness. Kids are encouraged to pet and feed deer, goats and ducks. You can even ride an elephant or hold a boa constrictor. It’s possible to step right up to the fence that cages a kangaroo with a young joey in its pouch, despite signs warning, “I will bite.” But the African lions, Bengal tigers and black bears are strictly hands-off.    

Like many of the species it displays, York’s Wild Kingdom Zoo and Amusement Park has been considered endangered for the past few years. The zoo, located off Route 1 in York, Maine, is operating under contract, while development of the surrounding property is pending. The Kingdom opened for the summer on May 24 and will remain open through September.

General manager Amy Wheeler began seasonally working at the Wild Kingdom after graduating from high school more than 15 years ago. It is co-owned by Nat Golzbein and Joe Barberi, who also have years of experience. Barberi began working at the zoo at age 14. “It’s one of those things that, once it’s in your blood, it’s in your blood. We are an extended family,” Wheeler said. 

The York property of roughly 200 acres was purchased by Berkshire Development of Boston in late 2005. Company president Oscar Plotkin could not be reached last week for an update on his plans.

Wheeler said she expects the zoo to be a part of the final plan. “We still come in everyday like were going to be here for the next 100 years,” she said. “We love what we do. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be here for so long.”

Still, the zoo’s exhibit of prairie dogs running around a miniature version of the Alamo invokes the possibility that this year could be the Kingdom’s last stand. 
 
Cathy Goodwin, president of the Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce, said she is anxious to see the plans for the property soon. She said considerations include what can be done with existing zoning laws and what could be done if those laws were changed.

The plan, so far, is to build a destination resort with retail shops, but also to maintain some form of the Wild Kingdom, Goodwin said. “We’ve insisted on that,” she added. After all, she said, the company found out about the property through a visit to the zoo, where the president’s daughter became fond of the white Bengal tiger.

The architect slated to design the development is Rick Joy, Goodwin said. Joy is a native of Maine known for designs that are environmentally friendly, as well as inspired by the environment around it. Goodwin said she expects the design to find a maximum use of the land with a minimal impact, and to fit in with the historic village.

York’s Wild Kingdom encourages daytrips and overnight stays during which visitors support local businesses, she said. “It definitely has a huge economic impact on the area as an attraction,” Goodwin said. “Like any destination, it’s bigger than itself.”