Bigzbear
Alpine oo
Rescue. Rehabilitate. Release.
We aren’t like most zoological facilities that
purchase the animals on display. Every animal
at the Big Bear Alpine Zoo has been rescued.
Our collection will always vary, dependent upon the types
of animals that need a home and our care. When we don’t
have enough room for the animal, we work diligently to
find another facility that will take them.
The Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District, a
Special District of the County of San Bernardino owns the
zoo, the facilities and the animals. The animal care givers,
grounds keepers, maintenance personnel, education and
administrative staff are all County employees. The Zoo is
located within the 3rd District of the County of San Bernardino. The Park District oversees the operation of the
zoo, and the Curator oversees the day-to-day activities of
the zoo. The zoo is located in the San Bernardino National
Forest at 7140 foot elevation.
T
he Big Bear Alpine Zoo is a
rehabilitation facility that is open to
the public. The zoo offers injured,
orphaned and imprinted wild
animals a safe haven; temporarily
while they heal or permanently as they
are unable to survive on their own. We
are extremely proud that 90% of all the
animals brought to us for rehabilitation
are successfully released back into their
native environment. Those that remain
with us on exhibit are either too injured
or have been imprinted by humans and
cannot be released back into the wild to
care for themselves.
“Saving wildlife since 1959”
Facts: The Big Bear Alpine Zoo (Formally
Moonridge Animal Park) opened its doors
in 1959 after a devastating wildfire roared
through the San Bernardino National Forest.
Originally, we were not a zoo, but a safe
place for injured animals to rehabilitate and
get a second chance back in the wild. For
some, returning to the wild was not an option
as they had been imprinted by their human
caretakers or were too injured to take care
of themselves. The first animals in our care
were a black bear and two bobcats.
38 | S Magazine
www.southcoastmagazine.com
In 1960, a 50 year lease was obtained and allowed the
zoo to grow to be the zoological facility that it is today. We
are currently home to animals and birds representing over
50 species. Our primary objective is to rescue, rehabilitate
and release wild animals. The Big Bear Alpine Zoo is the
“go to” facility for injured and imprinted animals. Local,
county, state and federal entities, as well as other nonprofit organizations and the public, turn to the Big Bear
Alpine Zoo to help animals in need. Visitors to the zoo are
able to see a sampling of all of the animals that call the
San Bernardino National Forest their home.
Two very exciting enclosures at the zoo currently contain
two beautiful endangered Snow Leopard sisters which
have been removed from the Species Survival Program
due