Second annual safari soiree a success

Animal lovers and activists gathered at the Thomas D. Mangelsen Images of Nature gallery Friday night for a Safari Soiree. The event, put on by Zoofari, a wildlife preservation organization, brought people together from all over Southern California to raise about $10,000 for conservation efforts.

More than 75 guests enjoyed wine from Wiens Family Cellars in Temecula and international hors d’oeuvres while browsing Mangelsen’s photography and spending time with the live animal ambassadors of Zoofari.

Gomez, an albino Burmese python, and Meadow, a grey fox were among the many visiting critters. Probably the most anticipated, however, was Victor, a 2-year-old cheetah rescued at birth.

Artists from Splash, a live art performance company, painted animal portraits to music while guests watched in fascination. The night also included a raffle and silent auction.

Zoofari is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping displaced, abandoned and non-releasable wildlife. It also provides conservation education programs and supports international wildlife conservation efforts. Visit

www.Zoofari.net

for more information.

To view or purchase more photos, click

here

.