BEAR COUNTRY (Day 2 - part 2)

Once we had finished the driving section of the park, we visited the tourist shop and then the zoo.

Sean poses with Scotty. Scotty was a grizzly bear who was brought here from a zoo in Wyoming. He died in 1980. He weighed almost 900 pounds and was 21 years old.

Dr. Dennis 'Doc' Casey (1931 - 2000) started this drive-thru wildlife park in 1972 due to his love of the great outdoors.

At one time (at least back in 2007), he had a salmon to catch ... but this has apparently fallen off.

Fall colors arrive at the zoo.

This was the enclosure for Tank, a grizzly bear who lived here from 2004 - 2020.

More exhausted timber wolves. Dare I say it? ... They look dog tired!

The javelina, or collared peccary, is not closely related to domestic pigs or American wild boars. They live about 10 years in the wild and over 20 in captivity.

The American badger is the largest member of the weasel family.

Just hanging out, watching the visitors pass by

This raccoon has ample room to play ... but it's clearly naptime right now.

The North American beaver can weigh up to 75 pounds and live up to 30 years in captivity. This one entertained himself by walking around the outer edges of his enclosure then hopping into his pool for a swim. Then repeat, rinse, repeat.

We could get a closer view of the large rodent from the backside of its enclosure.

This North American porcupine was far more interested in things outside of its enclosure.

They are born with over 30,000 soft quills which harden within the first 1 - 2 hours. Contrary to popular belief, they can not 'shoot' them.

Comparing ourselves to an American black bear.

The small American marten only weighs 1 - 3 pounds. They prefer to live in the trees.

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