Animal lover exhibits exotic creatures

Jenny Jones/Summer Reporter WILD Mark Denhardt, director of the Tippecanoe Exotic Animal Sanctuary, holds a parrot, so the children can pet it, as part of the exotic animals visit at the Tippecanoe County Library. For story see Page 2.

By Jenny Jones

Summer Reporter

Mark Denhardt brought exotic animals into his home until he started the Tippecanoe County Exotic Animal Sanctuary.

Denhardt became interested in exotic animals when he was in first grade while working at the Columbia Park Zoo. Denhardt's job was to feed the small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs.

Denhardt, director of the Tippecanoe County Exotic Animal Sanctuary, continued to work at the zoo throughout high school and soon became a caretaker for the tigers, bottle feeding the babies. After high school, Denhardt moved to Hawaii where he trained dolphins.

It is because of his life-long dedication to these animals that Denhardt began showing the sanctuary animals.

The most recent shows Denhardt held were at 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday at the Tippecanoe County Public Library.

The shows, which were open to the public, attracted more than 250 people from the community to encourage reading about animals.

In addition to promoting reading, Denhardt said he wants to "hopefully get (the children) passionate about animals."

"(The program) gives the children a chance to see animals up close that they probably otherwise wouldn't see," said Carol Stults, youth librarian.

All of the animals shown came from the Tippecanoe County Exotic Animal Sanctuary. Many of these animals were given to the sanctuary from individuals who decided they didn't want them anymore, Denhardt said. "(Those people are) very irresponsible."

According to Denhardt, many of the animals came from college students who didn't know anything about the animals.

For instance, the sanctuary houses many parrots. A typical Macaw, a type of parrot, lives 125 years and can cost approximately $1,000 to $10,000. "The average college student doesn't need one of these," Denhardt said.

It is because of this that Denhardt, throughout his programs, advises the audience to always read about an animal — to learn how long it will live, what type of environment it needs and how to take care of the animal — before they take it in as a pet.

He also encourages children to "ask mom and dad" before bringing an animal home.