ZooMontana facts for kids
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| Date opened | 1992 |
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| Location | Billings, Montana, United States |
| Land area | 70 acres (28 ha) |
| Coordinates | 45°43′53″N 108°37′21″W / 45.7315°N 108.6226°W |
| No. of animals | 100 |
| No. of species | 58 |
| Annual visitors | 160,000 |
| Major exhibits | Asia Region, Botanical Gardens, Discovery Center, Living Wall, North America Region, Yellowstone Arboretum |
ZooMontana is a fun and educational place in Billings, Montana. It's the only zoo and botanical park in the whole state of Montana! This amazing park covers 70 acres. It's home to almost 100 animals from 58 different kinds of species.
The zoo opened in 1992. It's a special place because it focuses on animals that live in cold places. This includes animals from Montana, the Rocky Mountains, and other parts of the world with similar climates. You can also find animals from warmer places in indoor exhibits. More than 160,000 people visit ZooMontana every year!
A pretty stream called Canyon Creek flows right through the zoo. This makes the park feel very natural and peaceful. In 2018, the Yellowstone Arboretum was created here. It's a special garden with many different kinds of trees, both native and from other places.
Contents
Meet the Animals: Zoo Exhibits
ZooMontana has different areas where animals live. These areas are designed to look like the animals' natural homes.
Asia Region Adventures
The Asia Region is a paved path that takes you through a forest. You start near the wolves. The path splits, and one way leads to a nature trail. The other path takes you to see amazing animals like the huge Siberian tiger and the cute red panda.
North America Region Explorers
The North America Region shows off animals from our own continent. Here, you can see wolves, powerful grizzly bears, playful river otters, busy beavers, majestic bald eagles, and strong bighorn sheep.
Discovery Center and Living Wall
Inside the zoo's Discovery Center, you'll find the Living Wall habitats. These exhibits are home to animals from places like South America and Africa. You might see an iguana, a speedy mink, soft chinchillas, and even Madagascar hissing cockroaches! There are also western screech-owls, tiger salamanders, ball pythons, box turtles, and many other cool reptiles, amphibians, and insects.
The Barnyard Friends
The Barn is where you can meet some friendly farm animals. You'll find big Belgian draft horses, small pygmy goats, colorful peafowl, and fluffy rabbits. Sometimes, during warmer weather, you might even spot a turkey vulture here!
New Animal Encounters
Since 2016, ZooMontana has added even more exciting animals. You can now see unique takin, clever wolverines, mighty American bison, and impressive raptors.
Feeding the Koi Fish
For a small fee, you can visit the ponds and feed the colorful koi fish. It's a fun activity for everyone!
Beautiful Botanical Gardens
ZooMontana isn't just about animals; it also has lovely gardens!
Sensory Garden Fun
The Sensory Garden is about 1 acre big. It's planted with different kinds of plants that are meant to excite all your senses. You can touch, smell, and see many interesting plants here. It's a very popular spot for weddings!
Other Gardens to Explore
The zoo also has a special Montana garden. This garden features plants that grow naturally in Montana. There's also Dottie's Garden, which is home to plants that don't need much water to grow.
Learning at the Zoo
ZooSchool Preschool
ZooMontana is home to ZooSchool Preschool. This is an independent preschool that holds its classes right inside the zoo! It's a great way for young children to learn about animals and nature.
Science and Conservation Center
The Science and Conservation Center is another organization located at the zoo. It's a non-profit group that works on science and protecting wildlife.
Zoo History Highlights
In March 2014, ZooMontana had some flooding. More than 3 feet of water covered some of the paths. The zoo worked hard to clean up and get back to normal.
