Date opened 1959 No. of species 80 Phone +1 909-584-1299 Number of species 80 | No. of animals 160 Opened 1959 Number of animals 160 | |
Location Big Bear Lake, California, United States Website www.bigbearalpinezoo.org Address San Bernardino National Forest, 43285 Goldmine Dr, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315, USA Hours Open today · 10AM–4PMSaturday10AM–4PMSunday10AM–4PMMonday10AM–4PMTuesday10AM–4PMWednesday10AM–4PMThursday10AM–4PMFriday10AM–4PM Similar Boulder Bay Park, Castle Rock Trail, Big Bear Discovery Center, Bear Mountain, Snow Summit Profiles | ||
The Big Bear Alpine Zoo is a zoo in Big Bear Lake, California, United States. It is located across the street from Bear Mountain Ski Resort.
Contents
History
The Big Bear Alpine Zoo has been saving alpine wildlife since 1959. Originally it was not a zoo, but a safe place for injured animals to rehabilitate and get a second chance back in the wild. The facility is owned and operated by Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District, a Special District of the County of San Bernardino. The Big Bear Alpine Zoo is a rehabilitation facility offering injured, orphaned and imprinted wild animals a safe haven; temporarily while they heal or permanently as they are unable to survive on their own. 90% of all animals brought to the zoo for rehabilitation are successfully released back onto their native environment. Those that remain on exhibit are either too injured or have been imprinted by humans and cannot be released back into the wild to care for themselves. The "Friends of the Big Bear Alpine Zoo" was formed in 1989 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) public-benefit corporation whose purpose is to support the Big Bear Alpine Zoo through: (1) Educating the public regarding treatment, protection, and conservation of wildlife; (2) Recruiting and coordinating park volunteers; and (3) Fundraising.
Animals
The Big Bear Alpine Zoo provides wildlife rehabilitation and release. Those animals that cannot be released are given a home for life in the zoo. The Big Bear Alpine Zoo is the only zoological facility located in an alpine forest specializing in alpine species. zoo residents include grizzly bears, black bears, cougars, wolves, and eagles, to name a few of the 160 animals representing 80 species.