I spent a bit of time recently in the U.P., a rustic region of the Midwest where trees outnumber people roughly 100,000 to one, wolves now outnumber deer much to the dismay of area hunters, and one can operate a truly exotic home-based business without the neighbors raising so much as an eyebrow. I love the U.P.
A five-minute drive from the home of my weekend host in Wallace, Michigan brought us last weekend to the DeYoung Family Zoo. The approach was very much like driving to one of our neighboring Southern Minnesota farms, except that the animals meandering the backyard pens weren't exactly natives, such as the white Siberian tiger shown below.
Mr. DeYoung specializes in raising and displaying all types of "big cats," and we discerned that raising litters of exotic cats and selling the young ones to other zoos must be how Mr. DeYoung supports his zoo. Certainly, he can't survive on admission fees; we were the only visitors this day, which offered advantages. Below, the zookeeper brought a baby mountain lion out of his temporary cage (in DeYoung's house) to meet us.
DeYoung has created a world reminiscent of a fairy tale in Wallace Michigan. Children (and big children) can walk right up to exotic and domestic beasts or fowl, who co-exist in a rustic, almost biblical setting (snow being the exception). This donkey and the partially hidden goat were especially vocal when seeing us approach. Note the lama and the cow in the background.
Not to be left out of the excitement, the lama and the cow greet hubby. The cow licked hubby's sleeve. (We couldn't help but wonder if one or both of these beasts might end up across the yard some day as food for the animals who live above them on the food chain. In fact, there was plenty of evidence (i.e. cow and deer carcasses) that the hyenas, cougars, cheetahs, lions, tigers and bears on the premises were well-fed carnivores. 
We were betting that there weren't many zoos that let you hold the babies the way you can at the DeYoung Family Zoo in Wallace. 
A note about Mr. DeYoung: He always carries a pistol on his belt when he enters animals' pens, and for good reason. Recently, DeYoung's black panther jumped him from behind and latched onto his neck. DeYoung had to shoot it to get free. The attack meant 110 stitches for DeYoung; of course, he drove himself to the hospital. That's the way it's done up there. But if you haven't ever been to the U.P., you wouldn't understand.
A note about Mr. DeYoung: He always carries a pistol on his belt when he enters animals' pens, and for good reason. Recently, DeYoung's black panther jumped him from behind and latched onto his neck. DeYoung had to shoot it to get free. The attack meant 110 stitches for DeYoung; of course, he drove himself to the hospital. That's the way it's done up there. But if you haven't ever been to the U.P., you wouldn't understand. 
