KENANSVILLE, Florida — This past weekend Wild Florida was in the Panhandle lending a hand in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael and now its workers are back in Kenansville, working behind the scenes. 

• It's a drive-through safari park on 75 acres of land
• It will be home to new exotic animals

Buzzing away to create a Drive Through Safari. The 75-acre safari will be home to exotic animals, including rescues.

"Most of us can't fly to Africa, get down to the rainforest and see some of these animals. And they're available, they're out there and lots of them are in rescue situations," said Sam Haught the co-owner and founder of Wild Florida. "And we feel like it's a neat opportunity to release some of those animals here, have them on display for people to come see them up close."

Nathan Blackwell, the mayor of St. Cloud, a neighboring city, said this expansion will have all kinds of impact on the area.

"There's definitely going to be an impact for St. Cloud and other surrounding areas as well as tourists and other people come through stop and use our restaurants and gas stations," Haught said. "And our facility, but the biggest impact it's going to have the impact that it has on families and getting things back to nature."  

There will be a new main check in gate and a zip line across the safari will be available.

Besides the new safari, the existing gift shop is getting a facelift.

"We're growing, we're expanding. It's a really neat opportunity for us and the store will double in size and go two stories," Haught added. "So next time you come, maybe you will be able to come see me in my office right up here on the second floor."

The Drive Through Safari will open summer of 2019.