About Longneck Manor
SINCE 2021
Welcome to Longneck Manor!
If you like giraffes, white rhinos, and Labrador retrievers you will have a great time visiting us in Fredericksburg, Texas (about 75 miles from the Austin or San Antonio airports).
![](https://longneckmanor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Rick-and-Rhino-Feb-2011.jpg)
Many of you reading this know me and maybe a little something about this post-zoo retirement idea I have been talking about for some time. Well now it’s finally happening and we are ready to share some updates, photos, and stories.
The goal is to provide a fun personal experience while helping to save animals in the wild. We do this by combining the best elements of a good zoo with that of a good conservation organization. So you get to meet some real live conservation ambassadors (both four and two-legged species) as well as contribute to a non-profit (tax-deductible) conservation fund that works directly with proven conservation heroes.
The ten conservation organizations that we partner with all have current or past personal relationships working with our team. We don’t just raise money for friends but for respected and admired colleagues who have dedicated their lives to saving animals and people. We will share their stories of hope and commitment to inspire you to help make a difference.
So peruse this website and let us know what you think. Conservation is most effective when everyone participates. Thanks and Have Fun,
From the blog
Rick Barongi Presents Lifetime Achievement Award at Tapir Symposium
Longneck Manor founder, Rick Barongi, recently attended the International Tapir Symposium held in Campo Grande, Brazil. During this event, Rick had the honor of presenting...
Read MoreRed, White, and New! Longneck Manor Celebrates the Birth of Baby Boy Giraffe During Holiday Week
This fourth of July Baby, Indy, is named for Independence Day After a 15-month wait, we are delighted to welcome the newest addition to our...
Read MoreLongneck Manor Wins Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice award 2024
Longneck Manor Recognized as a Traveler-Favorite July 3 , 2024 – Longneck Manor is pleased to announce today that it has been recognized in Tripadivsor’s®...
Read MoreDrifter and Boone – Ambassadors First Class
Everyone comes to Longneck Manor to meet our incredible giraffes and white rhinos. We also have a very laid-back two-toed sloth, named Bruno for VIP...
Read MoreExperience the Ultimate Luxury Safari in Africa with Rick
Don't miss this opportunity to experience the best that Africa has to offer. Join us on this exclusive safari and create memories that will last...
Read MoreUnless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better, it’s not.
If you are passionate about animals (both pets and wildlife) and want to learn how to help save them in their natural habitats, then I...
Read MoreDrifter – First Ambassador
Meet my pal Drifter, a four-year-old yellow Labrador retriever. His pedigree name is Classic Hill Country Drifter but we call him the “Drift Man”...
Read MoreMy Africa – “Born Free”
Fact: I have Visited Africa Over 50 Times, but my First Trip Changed my Life Africa…. This wild and mysterious continent with its amazing creatures...
Read MoreWhy I like Rhinos
Rhino Fact: There are five living species of rhinos (two African and three Asian), their combined populations in the wild being about 30,000 animals. If rhinos...
Read MoreHistory of Longneck Manor – A Uniquely Texas Experience
After you read some of the history and vision narratives on this website you still may be wondering how I came up with the idea...
Read MoreLongneck Manor – How and Why
After you read some of the history and vision narratives on this website you still may be wondering how I came up with the idea...
Read MoreJane Goodall Supports Longneck Manor
I was at my desk at Disney Imagineering getting ready to return home after a long day at work when my cell phone rang. “Hello,...
Read MoreBetty White (the Giraffe) Gives Birth to anAdorable Six-Foot-Tall Girl.
After a 15 month wait, Longneck Manor is delighted to welcome the newest addition to its precious wildlife family; a female reticulated giraffe calf. Arriving...
Read MoreOur 2022 Holiday Wishlist is here!
Looking to spread a little extra holiday cheer this year? Don’t forget presents for our giraffes, rhino and sloth this year when you go holiday...
Read MoreClimbing Kili
by Bill Konstant Our wake-up call came at 11:00 pm on October 20th. That’s right, late that night, not the next morning. Rick and I...
Read MoreHear Rick on the Tomorrow Society Podcast
Recently Longneck Manor Founder, Rick Barongi was a guest on the podcast, The Tomorrow Society! In this podcast, he shares stories from his decades long...
Read MoreWe have BIG NEWS!
???????? We have BIG NEWS! Coming this summer, a new Welcome Center and four cottages – each with a stunning view of our giraffes and...
Read MoreNew Rhino Waterhole Installation
New at Longneck Manor! We are adding a naturalistic African waterhole with large boulders to the four-acre giraffe and rhino pasture. It will look like...
Read MoreLongneck Manor in the News!
This week, we were pleased to host our friends at Fox 7 Austin for a visit to our new Villas and to meet our resident...
Read MoreLongneck Manor Recognized as Recognized as Tripadvisor® 2023 Travelers’ Choice® Award Winner
Longneck Manor’s Great Traveler Reviews Earn it a Place Among Travelers’ Favorites Fredericksburg, Texas> – August 11, 2023 – Longneck Manor today announced it has...
Read MoreThe team
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HEATHER CROCKER
Deputy Director
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MONICA JINRIGHT
Director of Guest Services
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KELLY RUSSO
Marketing & Communications
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LEAH HERNANDEZ
Manager of Animal Enrichment and Training
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SAMANTHA WELLS
Director of Animal Care
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NOEL HERNANDEZ
Animal Care Specialist
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SHELBY ESPARZA
Animal Care Specialist
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CHLOE CROCKER
Animal Care Specialist
The board
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CULLEN GEISELMAN, PHD
Director, Cullen Trust for Health Care
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RENEE BUMPUS
Chief Animal Conservation Officer , Palm Beach Zoo and Conservation Society
![](https://longneckmanor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/3-board-rick-biddle.png)
RICK BIDDLE
Managing Partner of Relevant Strategies & Solutions (RS&S)
![](https://longneckmanor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/4-board-josh.png)
JOSH DAVIDSON
Partner, Baker Botts
![](https://longneckmanor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/5-board-rick.png)
RODRICK (RICK) BARONGI
Owner, Longneck Manor
![](https://longneckmanor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/board-btg.png)
BRADLEY TREVOR GREIVE
Yáa Gí Yéil / Raven By The Pond
![](https://longneckmanor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/profile-jo-williams.png)
JO WILLIAMS
VP Finance, Capital Group Companies
The Animals
The goal of Longneck Manor is to provide a fun personal experience while helping to save animals in the wild. We do this by combining the best elements of a good zoo with that of a good conservation organization. So you get to meet some real live conservation ambassadors (both four and two legged species) as well as contribute to a non-profit (tax deductible) conservation fund that works directly with proven conservation heroes.
Longneck Manor is the home to a “Crash” of three rhinos (Fred, Barney and Justin) as well as a “Tower” of three giraffes (Kafele, Betty and Tana). Our animal ambassadors help guests connect with animals in the wild and help conservation efforts with our partner organizations.
Purchase an enrichment gift for our animals! Visit our Amazon Wishlist here.
![](https://longneckmanor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/hero-banner-conservation-1024x513.png)
Animal Fact Sheet
Our animal fact sheet will give you the facts and figures about our animal ambassadors. Please consider taking a tour or enjoying a stay to expand your experence.
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Rhino Fact Sheet
Our animal fact sheet will give you the facts and figures about our animal ambassadors. Please consider taking a tour or enjoying a stay to expand your experence.
Check out photos of our animals below
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The Barn
Giraffe Barn – aka Giraffe Mansion
On August 12, 2020 we broke ground on the first building for Longneck Manor. This 10,000 square foot, 30 foot high, giraffe barn is not only a top priority but also a state of the art structure. It has everything giraffes require and more. At a cost of over one million dollars it has lots of amenities for the animals, keepers and guests.
Why build such a big and expensive giraffe Barn?
Some may think all you need is a shelter, a high fence and lots of trees to manage giraffes in a semi-captive environment. Big mistake! Giraffes born in a zoo require much more attention and behavioral enrichment than ones that are wild born. Putting them inside a large barn at night, and during bad weather, ensures their safety and allows the keepers and giraffe to develop a closer bond and trust.
For a zoo giraffe the barn is their nighttime comfort zone and a place where they get extra attention and food treats. It is also a safe haven from bad weather and lightening. Would you want to be 16 feet tall and standing in an open field during a violent thunderstorm? Neither would a giraffe.
Giraffe Amenities
When designing a giraffe barn you must take into account several important factors. First (and most obvious) are the doors. They need to be 18 feet high and easy for keepers to open and close. The floors of their stalls need to be non-skid and not too hard. Our barn has fine gravel floors and also rubberized coated concrete floors for quarantine and medical treatments. A slippery floor can be a very dangerous proposition for such a long-legged animal, especially a newborn trying to stand for the first time. Other important components are: elevated water drinkers and feeders, natural lighting, restraint chute (for hoof trims, blood draws and loading and unloading animals) and heat in the winter and good ventilation in the summer. Lastly, the barn needs to be big enough to accommodate future offspring and a whole herd (or tower) of giraffe.
Guest Amenities
To allow guests to safely interact and feed our giraffe we have included an eight foot wide elevated catwalk along the back of the giraffe stalls. This allows both guest and keepers to interact with the animals on their level and away from those large and potentially dangerous flying hooves. To access the catwalk there is an outside stairway.
There are keeper offices, bathrooms and food storage rooms on the first floor at one end of the barn. Above this workspace is a 1,200 square foot overnight suite for guests that choose to “sleep” with our giraffe. It will be a three-room, air- conditioned, Wi-Fi equipped, giraffe suite that has floor to ceiling glass panels overlooking the large family giraffe stall. It will be African themed and have a kitchen, living room and master bedroom.
We are very proud of our giraffe mansion and believe it raises the bar for all future giraffe barns. Don’t just take our word…. you be the judge and come stay with us.
![jane-rick](https://longneckmanor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/jane-rick.jpg)
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![villa-04](https://longneckmanor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/villa-04-scaled.jpg)
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Longneck Manor is making a difference in the wild
Longneck Manor is the home to a “Crash” of three rhinos (Fred, Barney and Justin) as well as a “Tower” of four giraffes (Kafele, Betty, Tana and Kili).
Our animal ambassadors help guests connect with animals in the wild and help conservation efforts with our partner organizations.