Billionaire Larry Ellison is the new jungle king lording over Palm Beach County’s Lion Country Safari.
An entity with the same Walnut Creek, California address as the Larry Ellison Foundation paid $30 million for the 254.2-acre property at 2003 Lion Country Safari Road, records and real estate database Vizzda show. Visitors to Lion Country Safari can drive through the massive park to view a pride of African lions and free-roaming herds of animals from six continents, including zebras, ostriches and rhinos.
The seller, an entity managed by Charles Koppel in Palm Beach, has owned the popular attraction since 1967, according to Lion Country Safari’s website. The previous sale price was not available in records.
In a statement posted on its website, Lion Country Safari confirmed the park was undergoing an ownership transition to “the Larry Ellison family who has a longstanding commitment to wildlife conservation.”
“Our proud history and exemplary record in animal care, welfare and preservation will continue to be a core focus in the future,” the statement said. “Operations will continue as normal, and our commitment to engagement, guest experience and wildlife conservation remains unchanged.”
Ellison is the third richest person in the world, with a net worth of $250 billion, according to Forbes. He is a major investor in Palm Beach County’s Manalapan. Last year, Ellison purchased the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, an 8-acre oceanfront property in Manalapan, for $277.4 million.
The site was originally developed as the La Coquille Club in the 1950s, but was redeveloped twice, most recently in 1991 into a six-story building with 310 rooms. The property was rebranded as the Eau Palm Beach in 2013.
In 2022, Ellison bought a 16-acre Manalapan estate for $173 million from another tech billionaire, Netscape co-founder Jim Clark. At the time, Ellison’s purchase set a record for home sales in Florida.
Ellison also owns a North Palm Beach estate that he acquired for $80 million from hedge fund manager Gabriel A. Hoffman.
