The story below is from our January/February 2024 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Photo above: ©Nick Fuller, The Fuller Picture Photography
Editor’s Note: Learn about the history of how Mill Mountain Zoo came to be in Nelson Harris’ Nov/Dec 2023 Strange Days of Roanoke column, Let’s Do a Zoo!
A change in leadership has led to numerous expansions and upgrades over the last few years.
Mill Mountain is home to some of the Star City’s best views, trails and even the iconic Roanoke star. But the presence of a zoo at the tip-top might be the most unexpected of its treasures.
Having opened in 1952, Mill Mountain Zoo has remained a well-known staple to locals and the best of surprises to newcomers. It was brought under new leadership a few years ago – a move that’s generated many positive changes for them. In June of 2022, the zoo added American black bear and red wolf enclosures, and last year, they custom built a home for their 12-foot Burmese pythons. More recently, the zoo gave their reptile house a makeover, complete with fresh paint, a new roof and even added an Argentine tegu to the list of animals that reside there.
Grants and Communications Coordinator Courtney Taylor says that as the only accredited zoological institution in the region, a top priority for the zoo is sharing their conservation knowledge with communities throughout Southwest Virginia. One of these strategies is the Animal Encounters Outreach Program, where zoo educators take ambassador animals into schools, libraries and other locations. “Oftentimes, we’re the only access that a lot of kids have to conservation and wildlife education,” she explains. They also offer on-site, after-hours programming like Sensory Mornings, which is geared toward individuals who struggle with sensory processing in loud, crowded environments.
This doesn’t even include the Mill Mountain team’s own conservation efforts. They work with other zoos, both nationally and internationally, on numerous Species Survival Plan and Saving Animals From Extinction programs. Many of the animals at the zoo, like their red panda, snow leopard and red wolves, are part of one or more of these initiatives. Another important component of their work focuses on habitat preservation. “The goal is to get the species to a large enough number to where they can safely be released back into the wild and maintain and grow the population,” says Taylor.
Local organizations have taken note of the critical work the zoo is doing and are stepping in to help them further their mission. Carilion Clinic recently donated a life-sized bald eagle nest and the Curiosity Corner, a wildly popular area where kids can burn off some steam while also learning about the important role insects play in keeping ecosystems thriving. Clean Valley Council has also partnered with the zoo for their Art to Rescue the River project in which local artists were selected to create sculptures of animals out of the litter.
New events and programs will be announced soon, but with the Roanoke community rallying behind them, the sky truly is the limit for what Mill Mountain Zoo will be able to accomplish next. “We’re woven into the fabric of Roanoke and I love that,” says Taylor. “There’s nowhere to go but up.”
To learn more about their programs, conservation efforts and to make a donation, visit mmzoo.org.
The story above is from our January/February 2024 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
