Story by:
Mary Catherine Pittman
Senior Reporter
One does not expect to find camels, watusi, and zebra on a farm in southeast Georgia -- especially on a farm behind an unassuming gas station with a single, simple sign advertising it: “EXIT FOR PETTING ZOO.”
I have driven past this sign on Interstate 16 countless times on my way to school at Georgia Southern University and have never thought anything about it up until recently.
When I hear the words “petting zoo” in Metter I assumed there would be a few animals that are on the smaller side -- some chickens -- and maybe a cow or two. Not in my wildest dreams did I expect what was coming when I went to interview with the owner and check the place out.
Holt Mosley is the current owner of this exotic petting zoo that also happens to be connected to a quaint little gas station right off of the exit. Mosley explained that the zoo and gas station has been in his family for around 20 years. The Mosley family had 75 acres of land off of I-16 that they once keep cattle on.
They knew a gas station would do very well off of the nearest exit to the land they owned, so they cleared out just enough land to build one. The cattle still roamed freely and would graze very close to the gas station.
The workers at the station began to notice families buying chips, bread, and other random snacks and taking it outside to feed the cattle grazing nearby.
That's when the idea struck.
Holt Mosley, along with his son, Jake Mosley, realized that they could start selling animal food at the gas station for a dollar and let families feed them that way.
This was the start of their famous interstate exit farm. Families started stopping every day and wanted more, so the Mosley’s gave them exactly what they want. They slowly added goats, lambs, emu, ducks and different breeds of cattle such as watusi to the farm. With 75 acres there was room for all of the animals to roam freely together.
I met with the workers at the gas station and got to know them a little better. They invited me into the back of the farm that has yet to be released to the public. I started the trek up the road and came across a large barn that was full of screaming birds and singing parrots.
Inside the barn sat rows and rows of exotic birds. Trey Ross shared how they obtained all of these wild birds such as Moscow’s, amazon birds, and parrots. Many of the birds are donated by people who get them illegally and later cannot handle them. The other more exotic birds are bought at exotic animal shows in Florida and Tennessee.
After being greeted with several hello’s and other mumbles from each bird, we kept going to see more animals.
I brought food along on my trek and I was quickly surrounded by goats, who proceeded to follow me around nibble on my fingers to get a bite here and there. Ducks were quacking at me and baby lambs ran amongst my feet.
In the distance I could see several animals but could not make out what they were. As I approached, I realized I was standing face to face with a camel. He came straight up to me and rubbed his face up against mine.
“His name is Bones,” Jake Mosley said. “We got him three months ago and had to get our exotic animal license to have pets like him. We have been raising him with cows, water buffalo, and watusi.”
Mosley eluded to owning a zebra.
I had to see it.
Jake and Holt gave each other a small grin and asked me to come to their house. I know parents have always taught us not to go with strangers, but the promise of a zebra was to unique of an experience to pass up.
When I walked in the house, I saw a zebra behaving more like a golden retriever than an exotic animal. His name was Marti, I was told.
Holt Mosley explained to me that they are raising him for a few more months as their pet and then letting him go roam with the other animals at the farm.
Within a few months, Holt and Jake Mosley expect this farm to go from a “weird gas station with animals in Metter” to an exit stop on I-16 that can’t be missed.
The famous exit farm has been featured in the Atlanta Journal Constitution and Georgia Traveler. People from all over are curious about this gas station petting zoo in the middle of nowhere. They plan to keep on adding more and more animals each year and making it more appealing for families to come.
“I want everyone to know about this and bring their kids to get up close to animals they may never have a chance to interact with,” Holt Mosley said. “It truly is a once in a lifetime chance to play with a zebra and camel like this in such a small town in Georgia. We love to see how excited families are to come out and interact with the animals. Seeing them happy makes us know all of the hard work is worth it.”
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