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Farmer Leviner probably wouldn鈥檛 recognize the old place.

Everything from capybaras, camels, zebras and kangaroos, to sloths, tortoises, wallabies and baboons, are now featured at the 40-plus acre farm, with about 40 animal enclosures surrounding 5490 Dongola Highway in the Conway area.

Wild Woods Farm also has聽also horses, fancy cows, mules, goats, rabbits, chickens 鈥� a multitude of traditional farm animals.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got all the eggs we can eat,鈥� laughed Todd Kramer, who owns and operates the farm with his wife, Tina.

The animals down on the farm are an eclectic, diverse mix of exotics and domestics that are sure to fascinate tourists and local alike.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be the closest thing there is to a zoo鈥� on the Grand Strand, with more than 200 animals in all. They hope to capitalize on the tourism trade.

It started as a hobby, and Tina鈥檚 private collection of animals. She鈥檚 an avid animal rescuer, who was raised in rural Clinton, North Carolina, an agricultural area. She was introduced to raising animals by an uncle who had a farm, and other relatives who brought up livestock.

鈥淚 grew up around farm animals, horses, and eventually got into exotics,鈥� Tina said.

She鈥檚 got a soft heart, and had collected 40 horses at one point, a number that鈥檚 now down to about 20.

Still, that鈥檚 a lot of mouths to feed.

鈥淚 said, 鈥榠f we鈥檙e going to keep this up, it鈥檚 gonna have to pay for itself,鈥欌�� Todd Kramer said.

And a business was born. One that Todd, who grew up under a car hood, never dreamed he鈥檇 be involved in. Tina credited her husband for his support. 鈥淗e hasn鈥檛 left me yet.鈥�

The former Leviner farm will soon join a growing agri-tourism industry in Horry County.

Starting probably in May, the farm/zoo will be open to visitors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. Admission will be $20 for adults and $15 for children and senior citizens. Special holiday-themed events will be planned.

Weekdays will be reserved for private tours and school field trips.

Food trucks will operate on-site, and the operation may eventually provide its own food service, Todd Kramer said.

There will also be a petting zoo where guest can feed the animals. Guests will be schooled about the inhabitants.

The animals cannot survive on Todd and Tina鈥檚 labor alone. Just to feed them is an 8-hour-per-day job. They鈥檝e invited four employees into the fold.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a big learning curve for people. You have to deal with every animal differently,鈥� Todd said. 鈥淓ach diet is unique.鈥�

Not all of the animals are created equal. The couple has a regular pet 鈥� a bat-eared fox 鈥� who sleeps in their bed. 鈥淗e鈥檚 special,鈥� Tina said.

The rest greet the day with a cacophony of calls. Donkeys, Todd said, make better alarm clocks than roosters.

The couple built the enclosures and did all of the construction and landscaping themselves. That includes a six-foot high, mile-long fence that surrounds the property, as required by the U.S, Department of Agriculture. The new zoo is heavily regulated by the both the county and the feds.

They also hope to provide attractions like pony rides and petting zoos at area events and celebrations.

They think the venture will be successful, based on the number of visitors who show up unannounced as word of the menagerie spreads by mouth.

鈥淎 lot of people are just amazed,鈥� Todd Kramer said.