For some people, the topic of zoos is like throwing gas on a bonfire in their soul. The thought of animals in captivity fuels bitter opposition. No matter where you stand, ZooMontana has sensational personalities you should meet.

 I attended a workshop in Billings, Montana. Our sessions met in various places in the city and Southeast Montana. One session in ZooMontana’s meeting room made some in the group uneasy because zoos keep animals in cages. The very thing they bitterly oppose happened. Our speaker, ZooMontana executive director Jeff Ewelt, brought a plastic tub with a moving animal inside. A captive animal that moved from corner to corner, thumping the sides during his talk. I couldn’t help but guess what was moving around. Would he pull out my biggest fear, a thick, massive snake with a head the size of a small dog, slithering around looking for shoulders to hang on? If so, there’s no way I would go near. I most definitely would look away the entire time, maybe even excuse myself for a few minutes.

Zoos Are Not Always What We Think They Are

I believed all zoos were about the same, animals in some form of captivity for the public to view. I soon realized that zoos are not always what we think they are.

Ewelt talked about animal captivity. We had a civil group, so members calmly held their dissent inside. As soon as Ewelt mentioned that he also opposes animal cruelty and helps animals live their best lives, anxiety quickly eased. Several in the group acknowledged that they felt uncomfortable visiting ZooMontana for the workshop because they do not support zoos and how they treat animals. After Ewelt’s explanation, they agreed with the zoo’s purpose and could support its mission and commitment to following The Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s stringent guidelines.

Throughout our session, Jeff Ewelt emphasized how ZooMontana aims to provide a quality-over-quantity zoo experience. Animals at ZooMontana have been given a second chance. They have been pets, rescued from the wild, or participate in a species survival and genetic purity program. 

Animals Living In ZooMontana Received A Second Chance

Two examples of rescued pets are Jenkins and Bruno. Jenkins, a female Columbian Red-Tailed Boa Constrictor, was rescued with two feet of burns over much of her body from a heat lamp. Bruno, a grizzly bear, was a pet confined to a square eight-foot chain link dog kennel. 

Ozzy, also a grizzly bear from Yellowstone National Park, enjoyed visiting campgrounds to eat camper’s food. Ozzy has been called a real-life Yogi Bear. Rangers tried relocating him several times, but he preferred campground goodies instead of eating in the wild. In this situation, euthanization would have been the last resort for a grizzly bear since rangers ran out of ways to protect his life. Fortunately, Ozzy found a home in ZooMontana. 

Pabu – “The Prince of Pounce,” a red panda, belongs to a species survival program. Pabu, and his mother, relocated from the Oregon Zoo.

Sensational Personalities You Need To Meet At ZooMontana

Sure, I wanted to see the zoo’s Siberian tigers and grizzly bears. Still, these are a few examples of other animals at ZooMontana that I became attached to after hearing their stories.

Winston, a Hoffman’s Two-Toed Sloth, is a ZooMontana favorite of almost everyone. Winston lives across from our meeting room inside the zoo’s entrance building. Although he usually sleeps while hanging from a branch, try visiting during mealtime to see his calm, lovable expressions and why most people become attached to him.

The badger, Uki, loves to sit on blankets while zoo staff members pull her around her habitat, resembling a magic carpet ride. Uki was a cub when she was found beside her mother, who a poacher shot. The Wildlife Center of Montana took her in, where she bonded with her caregivers, making a release back into the wild too risky for survival.

North American river otters Ben, Amelia, and their son, Sam, draw crowds with playful antics. Ben and Amelia came to ZooMontana as pups due to problems with a local fishery. Neither learned how to swim until zoo keepers taught them.

Bert, the bison, had his leg broken when his herd trampled him. Although his leg healed, he limped, making him an easy target for predators. Bert lives with Jay, his offspring with Nellie.

Three Gray wolves, or timber wolves, live at ZooMontana. Kali, Onyx, and Simpson. Simpson was found after being abandoned by his pack at five weeks old. Caretakers noticed how Simpson didn’t act normally and found he suffered from congenital hydrocephalus—water on the brain. Simpson received treatment from Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

Pro Tip: On hot days, visit early mornings to see animals active in the habitats.

See Bald Eagles At Close Range

Two bald eagles, Emelio and Tokata, can no longer fly, so they live at the zoo now. Emelio has significant wing damage from a poacher’s gunshot wound and only has half of his left wing. Many experts believe Tokata’s wing tip contacted a power line, shattering her joint. Unfortunately, both bald eagles can not fly because of their injuries. Zoo visitors can view the eagles living together in their natural habitat. 

About ZooMontana

ZooMontana is committed to conserving wildlife from the 45th parallel and north. Animals thrive living outside year-round in their natural habitat. 

Furthermore, ZooMontana holds accreditation from The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), which less than 10% of zoos and aquariums worldwide pass the organization’s stringent requirements. Members adhere to high standards to provide the highest animal welfare, veterinary care, health and nutrition, wildlife conservation, research, education, safety, and expert care teams. 

Unlike most zoos and aquariums, ZooMontana does not receive funding from taxes. Admission, special events, donations, and the gift shop provide financial support.

Besides being an open place for social gatherings, ZooMontana offers many programs for schools, such as Zoo Tots and Breakfast with the Animals. In addition, people can rent venues for events such as weddings, corporate meetings, and community events. We visited on a mid-week day during regular hours, but the zoo was closed in preparation for a big event the next day. 

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Big Reaction As Jeff Ewelk Pulled Bandy Out Of The Tub 

All of the zoo’s outside wildlife naturally lives on the 45th parallel and north. However, the zoo has a few exceptions that live inside, like Bandy, a three-banded armadillo. Ewelt opened the tub and carefully lifted Bandy with both hands. The person sitting next to me and I sighed in relief, grateful it wasn’t a snake. Bandy, from central South America, leads a study about her species. One of the stars at the zoo, Bandy, likes belly tickles and is playful and curious. The entire group bonded with Bandy when Ewelt held her and let her run around on the floor. I’ve seen plenty of armadillos while living in Texas, but I never imagined I would describe one as cute.

Three-banded armadillos, one of the smallest in the armadillo species, have two domed shells connected by three bands in the middle. When fully grown, they weigh two to four pounds and are nine to thirteen inches long. This species lives in central South America’s forests, grasslands, and marshes. Long sensory hair, used to sense if predators are close by, grows on their belly side. Although they roll into a ball-like shape for protection, the three-banded armadillo is the only one to completely form an interlocking ball. Keratin, the same component that makes human fingernails, forms a hard outer shell, and when rolled up, the armadillos look like a hairy coconut. 

Since our visit, Bandy has left for a location in the Colorado region to continue leading studies. However, Dahlia, a young female three-banded armadillo, recently transferred to ZooMontana.

Coming Soon: Foster Waterfowl Refuge

Migrating waterfowl will soon find a new place to stay while flying through Billings. Construction has begun on the Foster Waterfowl Refuge, a wetland ecology and conservation feature highlighting a natural layover for migrating waterfowl. Some highlights of the Foster Waterfowl Refuge are a raised observation deck, an underwater native fish viewing area, and boardwalks throughout. The refuge will be an educational cornerstone to open conversations about wetland conservation.

Final Thoughts

In the beginning, some people were bothered that we held one of our sessions at a zoo. I was indifferent, but I understood their point. I want to see animals treated fairly too. For me, the most memorable part was learning about each animal’s name and story. I pictured myself handing Winston the sloth, sticks of vegetables, and giving magic carpets rides to Uki, the badger.

Each animal at ZooMontana is there for a reason and has a story to tell. We only had about twenty minutes during a session break to explore the zoo. I didn’t see many animals, so I want to visit again, slow down and take a closer look at each zoo resident’s story. After all, ZooMontana’s priority is quality over quantity, where a visit to see animals becomes an experience to remember. I can’t wait to go back. Maybe I can drive the magic carpet.