GREAT FALLS — ZooMontana announced on Wednesday that it ranked among the top 10 zoos in the nation, according to USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards.
Jeff Ewelt, the director of ZooMontana, said in a news release: “This recognition is a testament to the hard work and passion of our entire staff, volunteers, and supporters who are committed to providing a world-class experience for our visitors while ensuring the welfare of the animals in our care. For a small zoo like us, this is a huge deal."
Here is the top 10 list:
- 1. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium
- 2. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
- 3. North Carolina Zoo
- 4. Honolulu Zoo
- 5. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
- 6. Brevard Zoo
- 7. Audubon Zoo
- 8. San Diego Zoo
- 9. Saint Louis Zoo
- 10. ZooMontana
The entry for ZooMontana states:
Located in the southwestern reaches of Billings, ZooMontana offers insight into the rich biodiversity found across Big Sky Country. Many of the state's beloved species are on display — American bison, gray wolves, and grizzly bears, to name a few — while international representation includes Sichuan takins, red pandas, and a wide array of other animals from far beyond U.S. borders.
Among the residents at ZooMontana: alpaca, badger, Amur tiger, bison, bald eagle, lynx, chinchilla, chicken, owl, grizzly bear, sloth, grey wolf, porcupine, red panda, river otter, armadillo, and wolverine.
The nominees were chosen by a panel of relevant experts, including editors from USA TODAY; editors from 10Best.com; expert contributors; and sources for both these media and other Gannett properties.
ZooMontana is at 2100 South Shiloh Road in Billings, just off the Zoo Drive exit (443) of Interstate 90. Click here to visit the website.
MTN News and TDS Fiber collaborate with ZooMontana to give people a peek into the lives of the some of the animals with livestream cams:
BEAR CAM:
SLOTH CAM:
VIDEO - Winston the sloth at ZooMontana:
