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Wild Bill and his wildlife are parting ways
By JORGE SANCHEZ, Times Staff Writer INVERNESS -- Wild Bill MacKay gave away most of his exotic wild animals this week to make room for the widening of State Road 44 E and because he said the ordeal of feeding and watering the animals became a burden. MacKay will continue to offer airboat tours of the Withlacoochee River at his business, Wild Bill's Airboat Tours and Wildlife Park on SR 44 E at the Withlacoochee River. "The airboat tours are doing great. I'm doing them by appointment only now," MacKay said. A sign on the property Wednesday instructs visitors to call 726-6060 to make a reservation for airboat tours. MacKay kept tigers, lions, alligators and leopards, among many other creatures, at his business. He said he gave away the animals for two main reasons. "The state is going to widen the highway right through where the animals' cages were, and it was just getting too hard to find capable helpers," MacKay said. "I was always worrying about whether the animals were getting food and water when I was away." By Wednesday, most of the animals were gone. A lioness along with some petting zoo animals, an alligator and some parrots were still there. They are scheduled for removal soon, MacKay said. He said people from "all over the country" agreed to take the animals. "I gave this a lot of thought," MacKay said. "It wasn't an overnight decision, so I'm happy with it." Road construction is scheduled to begin in 2003. -- Jorge Sanchez can be reached at 860-7313 or sanchez@sptimes.com.
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