Big Bear Alpine Zoo Big Bear Alpine Zoo (Moonridge)

Has any body ever been to the Moonridge Animal Park up in Big Bear Lake in Southern California?

It looks like a decent little zoo with mostly rescue animals that can't be released in the wild, including some "problem" grizzlies from Yellowstone National Park.

They have a plan for a new facility. It looks quite ambitious. Hopefully they can make it happen.

New Big Bear Lake zoo plan takes shape - San Bernardino County Sun

 

I have never been there but my impression is that the current facility is not very good but the new one will be pretty nice once it gets going. I have been following this from time to time and it looks like they keep getting stalled due to money issues. I really hope they can start construction soon. I like the idea of focusing on alpine animals to fit their climate.

 

It looks promising, and the idea that 75% of all the animals will eventually be returned to the wild is honourable, and I just hope that $30 million materializes for the project to take shape.

 

Three months ago the local government council gave final approval to their plan for a new zoo. (See the zoo website for details).

 

It looks like they have changed their name to Big Bear Alpine Zoo.

Two snow leopard siblings have arrived from Woodland Park Zoo. They will occupy a new enclosure.
Snow leopards arrive at Big Bear Lake zoo

 

Here is another article that has a photo of the exhibit (scroll down to the bottom).
FedEx Delivers Snow Leopard Sisters For Big Bear Alpine Zoo ? ROTWNEWS.com

 

Here is a brief article from the design firm that has been chosen.
PGAV Destinations Design New Big Bear Alpine Zoo - blooloop

 

A rather small budget for a brand new 10 acre facility
Big Bear Alpine Zoo Relocation Project Inching Closer To Reality (UPDATE) ? ROTWNEWS.com

 

The $8.5 million project had a groundbreaking ceremony last month and the zoo is expected to open in late 2018. The facility will be located on 10 acres and as well as several smaller exhibits and a variety of zoo buildings, there will be 5 "marquee exhibits" featuring these species: grizzly bear, black bear, wolf, cougar and snow leopard.

UPDATE 3: Big Bear Alpine Zoo’s Groundbreaking ? ROTWNEWS.com

A great blog on the project:

http://www.blooloop.com/blog/2015/1...lty-based-design-and-the-big-bear-alpine-zoo/

 

Well this is good news indeed but apparently no one knows how big the zoo will be, even though the plans are finalized and construction is starting.

In the first article, it says 10 acres somewhere near the top but then another government official is quoted as saying six acres. In the second article the designer says it is five acres. I sincerely hope it is the ten acres, because even that seems a bit small to me.

 

An update on construction. The development will reportedly cost $10.4 million and cover 5.6 acres, with five additional acres available for expansion. Apparently they've revised the completion date, and now hope to open in December 2017.

Construction under way on new Big Bear Alpine Zoo, attendance up 50 percent

 

December 2017 is almost over and the website makes no mention of the new location being open. This article published March 2017 says they hope to open in spring 2018.
http://zoonation.org/big-bear-alpine-zoo-slated-for-opening-in-spring-2018/?jdfwkey=rtnro

 

I was able to view the construction of the new zoo. It looks to be progressing well with a large wooden building being constructed at the presumed entrance and general dirtwork throughout the site. It did not appear that any extensive work was being done on specific enclosures. I apologize for the cursory remarks as I only viewed the site while passing in a car. I will upload some photos once I am able.

 

The tentative opening for the new zoo is Labor Day weekend 2018 (first weekend in September).

source: Facebook

 

I visited early today. Talking to a zoo employee, the new opening for the zoo is scheduled for summer of next year.

I believe the delay is due to a lack of donations

 

Well (as per second post above) tentative opening date was Labor Day (September) 2018 which came and went. New opening date (as per immediate post above) was summer 2019. That came and went. About two weeks ago (on Facebook) the zoo posted drone footage of the construction site and it is nowhere near complete from what I can tell.

In other news (via Facebook), the zoo will be receiving a ringtail to mate with their current ringtail via a recommendation from the SSP. I had no idea there was an SSP for ringtails nor that the AZA was trying to breed them. I assumed the few I have seen at zoos are rescued orphans (which may indeed be the case).

 

According to their latest Facebook post, they have the only Humboldt's flying squirrels on exhibit anywhere (there are three of them). If that doesn't entice ZooChatters to visit, nothing will!

(There are no updates on the new site. I would guess that winter snow puts a halt on construction?)

 

Probably kept in here. I bet they were the squirrel species I mentioned in the comments.

Nocturnal House by BigNate posted 1 May 2019 at 1:13 PM

 

My brother was in Big Bear today and I had asked him to take photos of the new zoo site. He took three with his phone and sent them to me to upload on ZooChat. They are now in the gallery. Based on what I can see things are progressing but I don't think it will be ready to open this summer.

 

I didn't take pictures of the new site when i visited in May of 2019, but I do remember seeing it. Looking at the pictures you posted, while I think there has been progress, it's not nearly as much as you would expect with over a year of construction