Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo facts for kids
| Location | Thurmont, Maryland, United States |
|---|---|
| Land area | 100 acres (40 ha) |
| Coordinates | 39°35′26″N 77°25′51″W / 39.590642°N 77.430739°W |
| No. of animals | 450+ |
The Catoctin Wildlife Preserve is a super cool zoo and wildlife preserve in Thurmont, Maryland, USA. It covers about 100-acre (40 ha) of land. Imagine that! Visitors can explore about 25 acres (10 ha) of this amazing place. It's a fantastic spot to see animals from all over the world and learn about wildlife.
Contents
Safari Ride Adventures
One of the most exciting things at the preserve is the safari truck ride! You get to ride through a wooded area and see large plant-eating animals up close. You can even touch and feed some of them. It's like being on a real safari, but right here in Maryland!
Here are some of the awesome animals you might see on the safari ride:
- American bison
- Emu
- Boer goat
- Fallow deer
- Dromedary (a type of camel!)
- Llama
- Yak
- Scimitar-horned oryx
- Sicilian donkey
- Greater kudu
- Suri alpaca
- Grant's zebra
- Red-necked ostrich
- Watusi (known for their huge horns!)
- Reticulated giraffe
- Bactrian camel
Exploring the World's Animals
The preserve is divided into different areas, each showing animals from a specific part of the world. It's like taking a trip around the globe without leaving Maryland!
Africa Area
Step into Africa and meet some amazing creatures from this diverse continent.
Eurasia Area
This area features animals from Europe and Asia. You'll find some very unique species here.
- Snow leopard (a beautiful big cat!)
- Meerkat
- Green anaconda
- Reticulated python
- African rock python
- Morelet's crocodile
- African spurred tortoise
- Galápagos tortoise (these can live for a very long time!)
- Red-crowned crane
- Koi (colorful fish)
- Jacobs four-horned sheep
- Angora goat
- Egyptian vulture
- Indian blue peafowl
- Moloch gibbon
Australia Area
Discover animals from the land down under! Australia has some of the most unique wildlife on Earth.
- Red-footed tortoise
- Red kangaroo
- Red-necked wallaby
- Emu
- Salmon-crested cockatoo
- Budgie
- Laughing kookaburra
- Black swan
- Dingo
- Green tree python
- Australian blue-tongued skink
- Double-wattled cassowary (a very large, colorful bird!)
Latin America Area
Journey to Latin America and see animals from the rainforests and mountains of this vibrant region.
- Jaguar (a powerful big cat!)
- Aldabra tortoise
- Two-toed sloth (they move very slowly!)
- Capybara (the world's largest rodent)
- Andean condor (a huge bird of prey)
- Quaker parrot
- Sun conure
- Red-eared slider
Madagascar Area
This special area highlights animals from the island of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa. Many of these animals are found nowhere else in the world!
- Madagascar tree boa
- Trumpeter hornbill
- Vasa parrot
- Black-and-white ruffed lemur (a type of primate unique to Madagascar!)
North America Area
Explore animals native to North America, from deserts to forests.
- Marabou stork
- American alligator
- Barred owl
- Collared peccary
- Timber rattlesnake
- Eastern diamondback rattlesnake
- Northern copperhead
- Gila monster (a venomous lizard)
- Black ratsnake
- Desert tortoise
- Rhinoceros iguana
- Arctic wolf
Islands Area
This section features animals from various islands around the world, showcasing their unique adaptations.
- Tonkean macaque
- Binturong (also known as a bearcat!)
- Olive baboon
- Hyacinth macaw (a beautiful blue parrot)
- Blue-and-yellow macaw
- Scarlet macaw
- Sun bear
- Gaboon viper (a very thick snake)
- Crocodile monitor
- King cobra (one of the longest venomous snakes)
Fishes
Don't forget to check out the aquatic life!
- European orfe
- Albino catfish
- Goldfish
Free-Roaming Animals
Some animals at the preserve roam freely, adding to the natural feel of the park. Keep an eye out for these birds!
- Canada goose
- Chinese goose
- Bar-headed goose
- Greylag goose
Education Program Animals
The preserve also has special animals that help with their education programs. These animals teach visitors about wildlife and conservation.
- African hedgehog
- Chinchilla
- American alligator
- Note: Some animals may be temporarily off exhibit.
