Syrian Brown Bears

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In the habitat you are approaching are five Syrian Brown Bears. The habitat is on both sides of the walkway. These five Bears were rescued from a roadside zoo in Wisconsin that lost its license to possess and exhibit such animals. These Bears were only about 2 ½ years old when they arrived, but they have been enjoying life here at the Sanctuary ever since. The two males, Diesel and Chumlee, are particularly close and are rarely very far apart from one another. In the summer months, all of the Bears greatly enjoy their habitat’s water features. Chumlee and Diesel can often be found wrestling with each other in the water and dunking one another. About halfway between here and the entrance to the Lion House on the right side of the walkway you will notice the opening to an underground den that was dug by one of the Bears.  It is quite large, and probably goes down about 6 or 7 feet and is about 15 feet in length. The large wooden framed structure is left over from when this area was part of a Lion habitat, where it was used as a shade structure.

 

Grizzly Habitat

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There’s a very large habitat behind you and to the right, or to the northwest, in which live Grizzly Bears. You will see many above & below ground dens as well as a large pond the Bears can use for swimming and cooling off in the summer months. Two of the Bears, along with 17 big cats, came from a now closed notorious roadside zoo in Indiana called “Wildlife in Need” in Fall, 2020. Other Grizzly Bears were rescued in early 2021, coming from yet another notorious Bear breeder in Indiana. In late summer, 2022, Jebbie, (orphaned in the Alaskan wilds) joined this habitat after brief stints at two different zoos including the Detroit Zoo, who asked we provide the young bear with a forever home. Now all together, these bears have the freedom to happily roam and play each day as they please.

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TIGER KING Tigers

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Now looking way to the east you will see many different habitats, den structures, and other features. In this area live the majority of the 39 Tigers rescued from Joe Exotic’s Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park that was featured in the Netflix docuseries “Tiger King”.  In late 2017 the Sanctuary was able to get 39 Tigers out of that terrible situation as well as three young Black Bears. As one can imagine, when they arrived, the 39 Tigers suffered from many different maladies as well as malnourishment. Now living in large acreage habitats with other Tigers, they have fortunately left that dark part of their life behind.

 

Ostriches and Emus

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Just ahead and to the right you will see a ramp that goes down to some small buildings. The last building is where restrooms are located. Off in the distance behind the restrooms is a habitat that runs along County Road 53. In that habitat are a number of Emu and Ostriches. Even though such animals are not large carnivores, because the Sanctuary has a fair amount of pastureland, we occasionally take in animals that are simply in dire need of a home or part of a larger rescue. Two female Ostriches were rescued from their life in a parking lot in Santa Fe, New Mexico and four of the Emu came from a dilapidated, rundown place in Wyoming.  If you are interested in a very unique item, the eggs laid by the two female Ostriches are sold in the Sanctuary’s Gift Shop.

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