Big Bear Alpine Zoo

Wildlife rehab year in Review

Happy New Year!! **End of Year Review: Celebrating Wildlife Rehabilitation Successes at Big Bear Alpine Zoo** As we bid farewell to another year, we take a moment to reflect on the incredible strides we've made in wildlife rehabilitation at Big Bear Alpine Zoo in 2024. This year has been marked by our unwavering commitment to caring for injured and orphaned animals, and we're thrilled to share our successes with our dedicated community. Throughout the year, our team has worked tirelessly to assist a total of **54 birds** and **37 mammals**. Each animal that came through our doors had its own story, and thanks to our skilled staff and the support of our volunteers, the majority of these animals have not only survived but thrived. **Successful Releases:** Of the animals we rehabilitated, we are proud to announce that most have been successfully released back into their natural habitats. Each release is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, and it brings us immense joy to see these animals regain their independence. **A Heartfelt Thank You:** Our successes would not be possible without the support of our community. From the kindness of our visitors to the generous donations from local businesses and individuals, your contributions have enabled us to provide the best care possible for these animals. As we move into the new year, we are excited to continue our mission of wildlife rehabilitation and conservation. We look forward to sharing more success stories with you in 2025 and beyond! Thank you for being part of our journey and for supporting the vital work we do at Big Bear Alpine Zoo. Together, we’re making a difference for wildlife! Happy New Year to all! 🐾🌲✨

Holly and Hazel on bone day

Mtn. Lion Mondays: Hazel stood by and watched while Holly gnawed on both of their bones for a little while. Then something new (hard-boiled egg) caught Holly's attention and she went to explore - giving Hazel the opportunity to grab and go. Outside she enjoyed chewing on the bone for the rest of the day. Visit them daily from 10-4. #bigbear #bigbearalpinezoo #mountainlion

Snow Leopards Asha and Shanti were offered some hay from the Mountain Lion bedroom as a form of scent enrichment. Both cats were drawn to the hay immediately and proceeded to stand on it, and then each scent marked on the hay. Visit them daily from 10-4.

Scent enrichment is quite popular amongst the cats. Here you'll see Baby the Bobcat reacting to some stinky hay that was taken from the Mtn. Lion Bedroom. She rubbed and rolled on the hay for a good part of that day. Visit daily from 10-4.

The Flying Squirrels have quite a varied diet including nuts, seeds, berries, and acorns. In this clip you'll see little Juniper working on an acorn - she eventually brings it into her hollow log for more intense chewing.

Wolf Wednesdays! The Wolf Pack was offered a giant pumpkin the other day. Ivar was especially interested in it and destroyed it quite quickly. Visit our pack daily from 10-4.

Mtn. Lion Mondays! Holly and Hazel were offered a large log that had been in with the bobcats for a few months. Holly was immediately drawn to it and reacted quite strongly - rubbing, scratching, licking, vocalizing, and kicking. This enrichment was a big hit! Visit them daily from 10-4.

📣 Exciting News! 🐻🌲💌 This Giving Tuesday, join us in making a difference for the amazing animals - like Snow Leopard Asha - at The Big Bear Alpine Zoo! 🎁✨ Here are a few awesome ways you can support our furry/feathered/scaled friends: 1️⃣ Symbolically Adopt an Animal: Become a proud virtual parent and receive a personalized certificate, photo, and fact sheet about your chosen animal! Help us care for them and their wild counterparts.🦉 2️⃣ Grab an Annual Membership: Unlock unlimited adventures throughout the year while supporting vital conservation efforts at the zoo. 📅🎉 3️⃣ Volunteer: Join our dedicated team and contribute your time and skills to providing excellent care for the animals. It's an opportunity like no other! 🙌💫 4️⃣ Make a Donation: Every dollar makes a difference! Your generous contribution helps feed, shelter, and provide essential veterinary care for our incredible animals. 🎗️🏥 ❤️ Your support on Giving Tuesday means the world to us and the animals we cherish. Together, we can ensure a brighter future for wildlife conservation. Let's make this day count! 🌍🎉 ➡️ Visit our website https://friendsofthebigbearalpinezoo.org/donate-now learn more about how you can get involved and change lives with your support. Join us on this incredible journey. We're grateful for your kindness and compassion! 🤝💚 #GivingTuesday #BigBearAlpineZoo #SupportWildlife

Box Enrichment for Holly and Hazel

Mtn. Lion Mondays! Box Enrichment Enrichment is defined as a process to ensure that the behavioral and physical needs of an animal are being met by providing opportunities for species-appropriate behaviors and choices. In this clip, Holly and Hazel were provided with a box that used to have lettuce in it. Still had the veggie scent on it. Holly was very interested in box right away and eventually brought it into the bed with her. You can hear how rough her tongue is as she licks the cardboard.

Pooh Bear and his Kong

Enrichment is an incredibly important component to providing care for the animals that live at the Zoo. These experiences we provide allow them to express their natural behaviors - like Pooh Bear using his problem-solving skills to extract the celery from the Kong.

Holly Bear was offered some cardboard tube enrichment at our last Twilight Safari. Challenging for sure, but she eventually got to all the treats inside the tubes. Visit her daily from 10-4.

Skunk Sunday: Weighing Eddy 😀 Visit them daily from 10-4.