Don’t Be Surprised By The Buffalo in Goshen, Connecticut

Read this before you take a ride on Route 4 through Litchfield County in Connecticut: Don't be surprised if you see a buffalo, zebra, or ostrich on the side of the road as you pass through Goshen.

For years, I've thought that the State of Connecticut only had one zoo - Bridgeport's Beardsley. We have the Mystic Aquarium and the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk too, but have you ever heard of Goshen's Action Wildlife Foundation? It's a non-profit 501c organization located on Torrington Road/Rt.4 near the Goshen/Torrington town line. Over this past Summer, I was delighted to see Texas Longhorn cattle, Cape Buffalo, Zebra, Ostrich, Gazelle, Deer, Antelope, Alpacas, and a herd of very happy cows grazing along those beautiful grounds. Action houses 300-350 animals year round, and unfortunately, this weekend is the last you'll see them outdoors in 2024. Action is bringing the all inside as of November 24.

If you've ever been to the Cabela's in East Hartford, or the Bass Pro Shop in Bridgeport, you'll be stunned by the animals mounted inside the Museum. While I was doing some research for this article, I stumbled upon quite a few social media accounts implying that the owners must have been reformed big-game hunters due to the exotic mounts in the Museum.

The kids will love the petting zoo, where happy ducks, goats, cows, and ponies will eat the grain Action Wildlife will sell you in one of their refillable buckets. It's a great place for kids, and a much nicer drive to get to than Bridgeport.