In my world, anyway.
I've been to White Oak Conservation Center three times. Each time has been a thrilling experience. It was a private conservatory, and our neighbors, Sam and Janet took Red and me there twice. They were honored guests there because Sam was a surgeon, and had life-flighted someone out of there once. Saved their life. And Jan is a bird expert and had fostered some of their endangered birds. The center is on 7400 acres on both sides of the St. Mary's River which runs between Florida and Georgia. 
Since then, they have developed a branch that is a not-for-profit organization, and they will accommodate parties for tours. Our tour guide, Stephanie took us on a four-hour tour (shades of Gilligan's Island) in an open sided van, so we could observe the animals doing their thing in huge natural enclosures.
At White Oak Plantation, the goal is to rehabilitate animals and release them to secure, protected natural areas. Some animals are bred (artificially or naturally) here, in a genetically responsible manner to ensure species variability. They have more than three dozen endangered species in residence there.
White Oak was once the private retreat of philanthropist Howard Gilman, who gradually turned it into a major conservatory. Gilman died in 1998, but his dream lives on. Gilman International is partnered with many other international programs to conserve at-risk species. They are a founding member of the International Rhino Foundation; they have funded a large part of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, 13,700 square kilometers in the Congo which not only preserves the okapi, but many other species that live in that habitat. They are also a partner 
in the Cheetah Conservation Fund, and in many other organizations dedicated to preserving wildlife.
Cate had also been to White Oak and loved it. It was only natural, when our friend Lynn was about to move out of the state, that Cate, Cecelia and I would want to send her off with some great memories. The four of us had a fantastic tour, conducted by Stephanie, a veterinarian who has been at White Oak for twelve years, and who has a lot in common with us. We laughed, we gaped at the animals, and we had a great outdoor lunch on a pavillion by the river. We visited the veterinary hospital and the great lodge, where we saw gorgeous art, antiques and collections.
Gilman collected collections.
I took the photos for this post, but if you want to see a catalog of the animals at White Oak, go here for identification, and click on the links for lots of information about the animals.
Many dignitaries have graced White Oak Plantation, including President Clinton and Vice President Gore. Gilman built a major dance studio on the premises for his friend Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Isabella Rosselini likened it to Eden.
Since I was last there, they have put up a 9-hole golf course at White Oak. When we acted like this was a travesty, Stephanie explained that it was a place to entertain prospective donors, and that ultimately, it, like everything else at White Oak, was about the animals. It seems to be working. There are also multiple cottages on the premises that can be rented for those who want to extend the truly extraordinary experience.
On the way home after our outing, Cate, Cecelia, Lynn and I chattered about our fabulous day. Lynn and Cecelia both said they hadn't had a clue what to expect (they knew we were going to a "plantation") but were surprised and delighted by the experience. Me too, once again.
Can't wait until next time.
Image 1: The St. Mary's River.
Image 2: Max the Cheetah.
Image 3: Australian Cassowary. The female lays the eggs, but the male incubates and hatches them, then raises the young. She moves on to party with other males.
Image 4: Komodo Dragon, native of Indonesia. They're not fast, but after they bite their prey, they stalk them, as the anaerobic bacteria in their bite rapidly cause infection and kill the prey.
Image 5: Black Rhino. Not different in color from the White (Stephanie says they are whatever the color the mud they've been in is), but "white" is a corruption of the Afrikaans word for "wide" referring to the animal's wide, square mouth (perfect for cropping grass) whereas the Black Rhino has a pointed , almost prehensile lower lip for grasping branches.
Image 6: A friendly giraffe comes to visit.
Image 7: A reminder of why all this is here. Sperm samples for insemination are kept here in liquid nitrogen.
Image 8: Cheetah mother and cubs. They had an orphaned cub, and after this female's litter was born, they were removed and later returned with one extra cub, which, after sniffing it and checking it out, she allowed to join her clan.
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