Cougar Mountain Zoo facts for kids
Cougar Mountain Zoo logo
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| Date opened | 1972 |
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| Location | Cougar Mountain, Issaquah, Washington, U.S. |
| Land area | 11 acres (4.5 ha) |
| Coordinates | 47°33′11″N 122°04′50″W / 47.55299°N 122.08069°W |
| Memberships | ZAA, AAZK, ZSW |
| Website | http://www.cougarmountainzoo.org |
The Cougar Mountain Zoo is a special place in Issaquah, Washington. It's an 11-acre non-profit zoological park located on the side of Cougar Mountain. This zoo is about 15 miles east of Seattle. It's also very close to the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park.
This zoo focuses on helping endangered species. These are animals that are at risk of disappearing forever. You can see amazing animals like lemurs from Madagascar, powerful Bengal tigers, and rare birds from all over the world. Peter and Marcie Rittler started the zoo in 1972. For the first 15 years, people could visit for free! In 1990, the founders gave the zoo to the Zoological Society of Washington. This group took over running the zoo and raising money for it. Peter Rittler continued to help manage the zoo for many years.
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Amazing Animal Exhibits
The Cougar Mountain Zoo has many cool exhibits. They are all designed to help protect endangered animals. You can see incredible creatures like tigers, lemurs, wolves, reindeer, cranes, wallabies, macaws, and cougars.
Meet the Tigers
On June 16, 2007, the zoo welcomed two male Bengal tiger cubs. One was a rare white tiger, and the other was a golden tiger. They were born in a tiger preserve in Florida. In 2009, two more tiger cubs joined the zoo family.
The zoo has a special "Tiger Tunnel." This tunnel has glass walls, letting you get super close to the tigers. You can see them up close and personal! In 2011, a photo of a 370-pound tiger went viral. The tiger was seen putting his paw up to the glass. It looked like he was playing "patty-cake" with a small child. This picture was shared by news outlets everywhere.
Wolves at the Zoo
In 2016, a group of four male gray wolves came to live at the zoo. These wolves are an important part of the zoo's collection. They help visitors learn about these fascinating animals.
Learning and Education Programs
The Cougar Mountain Zoo offers many ways to learn about wildlife. Throughout the day, you can attend lectures, presentations, and demonstrations. Friendly zoo guides, called docents, are also there to answer your questions.
The Living Classroom
The zoo has a special program called "The Living Classroom." This program is for children and youth groups of all ages. It's perfect for preschool kids all the way up to high school students (grades K-12). It teaches them all about wildlife and how to protect it. There is a fee to join this membership program. The zoo also has outreach programs. They visit churches and groups for senior citizens to share their knowledge.
Other Cool Features
The zoo has more than just animal exhibits. There are other interesting things to explore during your visit.
- Bronze Collection: You can find beautiful bronze sculptures of animals all around the zoo.
- Wildlife Tracks Library: This unique library helps you learn how to identify animals by their footprints.
- Wildlife Museum: This museum has many items used for teaching about wildlife. These items were given to the zoo by private individuals.
- Magnani Nature Gallery: This art gallery is right on the zoo property. It opened in 1989. It shows nature art in different styles. There's a permanent display, and you can also buy art. The gallery helps support the zoo's education programs every year.
