Safari West Converts to Nonprofit Structure

The 400-acre Sonoma County wildlife preserve is shifting from private ownership to a California nonprofit public benefit corporation.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Wildlife

Safari West Converts to Nonprofit Structure

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Safari West, a 400-acre wildlife preserve in Sonoma County, is converting from a privately held business to a California nonprofit public benefit corporation. A state employment filing says 134 employees will be laid off as part of the change.

Why it matters

The conversion is intended to expand work in research, education and conservation while keeping the property open to visitors. The filing's layoff figure signals that the transition will affect a large portion of the preserve's workforce.

The state filing lists 134 employees affected by the change. The preserve spans 400 acres and is home to more than 900 animals.

The players

Peter Lang

Peter Lang is the founder of Safari West, who built the preserve from a former cattle ranch in Sonoma County.

Safari West

Safari West is a 400-acre wildlife preserve in Sonoma County that houses more than 900 animals and is converting to a nonprofit structure.

The details

Peter Lang became interested in exotic animals in the 1970s while owning a cattle ranch in Beverly Hills, and bought a former cattle ranch in Sonoma County in the 1980s. The preserve opened to the public in 1993, and the Tubbs Fire destroyed four houses in the Lang family compound in October 2017 without injuring any animals.

1970s: Peter Lang becomes interested in exotic animals.
1980s: Peter Lang buys a former cattle ranch in Sonoma County.
1993: The preserve opens to the public.
October 2017: The Tubbs Fire sweeps through Sonoma County.
November 20, 2017: The preserve reopens after the fire threat passes.

Culture Shift

The move reflects a shift among private wildlife attractions toward California's nonprofit public benefit corporation structure, which emphasizes research, education and conservation over private return. Safari West's conversion places it within that broader movement in the state.

Safari tours, tent accommodation overnight stays and wildlife education programs are expected to continue under the same leadership and dedicated team. The 134 laid-off employees are expected to be hired back under the new nonprofit structure.

The takeaway

Nonprofit conversion can keep a wildlife attraction open to visitors while redirecting its focus toward conservation and education. Visitors planning trips to Safari West can expect tours and overnight stays to continue as the transition proceeds.