Hosted by Birmingham Zoo’s Junior Board and presented by Abacus Investments, Birmingham Zoo’s 13th Annual ‘Tails in the Trails fundraiser event benefited the future Cougar Crossing habitat. This outdoor celebration took place on the Trails of Africa and included music; animal encounters; small bites from area restaurants; beer, wine, and specialty cocktails; and a silent auction. The official ‘Tails in the Trails cocktails this year were the Cougar Cocktail rum punch and the Moyo Margarita. Both wild libations were specially crafted for the event with nods to your Zoo’s resident animal friends.
The future Cougar Crossing habitat will focus on bobcats and cougars. Not only did guests learn more about our local wildlife, but they were also guided through the importance of conserving Alabama’s native species.
Cougar Crossing will include indoor animal housing with a viewing area and two spacious outdoor habitats. These habitats will ensure the cougar and bobcat have ample ability to explore and engage in natural behaviors. The public viewing area inside the animal-holding building provided guests with a look at how the Zoo’s Animal Care Professionals care for these animals.
Cougar Crossing will provide a home to a new cougar, North America’s largest cat, and Bob, our resident bobcat. This project will serve as a living example of species preservation.
The Birmingham Zoo, founded in 1955, has been a 501(c)(3) since 1999. It is the only Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited zoo in Alabama, and is in the top 10% of animal exhibitors in the nation. With a collection of 172 species and 500 animals and involvement in national education projects and Species Survival Plans TM, the Zoo motivates others to live out its mission to Inspire Passion to Conserve the Natural World.
The Zoo holds GuideStar’s Platinum Seal of Transparency and Charity Navigator’s 4-star(top) rating and is on the cutting edge of research, interpretation, and conservation education. It serves as one of the primary conservation education resources for educators and their students throughout the Southeast.
Last year, 500,000 guests visited the Zoo, of which 50,000 were students, teachers, and chaperones for field trips or other educational programs. The State's teachers have come to rely upon their visit to the Zoo as a resource that meets many of the grade-level requirements in the Alabama Course of Study Standards for Science.
