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Welcome to ZooMontana!

ZooMontana is a zoological/botanical garden, accredited arboretum and educational facility in Billings Montana. We are dedicated to the conservation of wildlife throughout Montana and the 45th parallel of earth. ZooMontana cares for over 80 animals of 56 different species, including Amur Tigers, Grizzly Bear, Wolverine, River Otters, Takin, and Canada Lynx, among others, most of which are rescues.

Special Note:  Due to the installation of a new Point of Sale System, online membership purchasing is temporarily unavailable. Please call ZooMontana at (406) 652-8100 or visit in-person to purchase your membership. 
All new membership buyers, and those renewing, must do so in person to allow for us to capture your photo for the new membership cards.  We apologize for this temporary inconvenience.  

Hours and Admission


Hours:

Every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and New Year's Day

10am-3pm. Last admission at 2pm.


Masks ARE REQUIRED within the Zoo's gift shop, restrooms and indoor exhibits. Masks are available for $.50 if needed.


Winston the Sloth is Now Available for viewing!


CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW HIS JOURNEY!


Upcoming Events at ZooMontana

Feb111:00 AM

Grizzly Man | Science on Screen®

Art House Cinema in partnership with Science on Screen® presents Werner Herzog's Grizzly Man. Following the film, join ZooMontana for an insightful discussion on the immense power these creatures and...

Help Support ZooMontana

Meet the Animals!

Milk Snake

Moo came to the Zoo in 2018 as a newborn. Very tiny, he is difficult to see and is often under one of his logs.

Wolverine

Sid and Ahmari came to ZooMontana in 2017 from Sweden to take part in a crucial breeding program to create a genetically pure line of Wolverines.

Sichuan Takin

Khan and Griff came to ZooMontana from the Pueblo Zoo in Colorado. They incredibly curious and can often be seen playing soccer in their habitat.

Miniature Donkeys

Lucy and Ethel came to ZooMontana is 2020 from a private ranch. They quickly acclimated to ZooMontana and can now be seen, and heard at the Zoo's barn.

Tiger Salamander

Sally and Simon were donated to ZooMontana as pet surrenders. They have been at the Zoo since 2019.

Amur Tiger

Sofi and Jasmine are sisters that were born in Florida in 2012 and were raised together. They moved to the Zoo in the early summer of 2014. Whether we are in the middle of a blizzard or a heat wave, t...

Bald Eagle

Amelio came to us from a rehab center in Anchorage, Alaska, and Tokata came to us because she hit a power line with the tip of her wing, breaking her wrist.

American Mink

Ivy came to ZooMontana as a rescue from a fur farm. She can often be seen sleeping in her log, viewable from the front of the habitat.

Madagascar Day Gecko

Both Geckos came to ZooMontana in 2015 through a breeder. They are quick little critters and can usually be seen clinging to the walls of their habitat.

Canada Lynx

Fierca came to us in the fall of 2013, and her friend, OP, joined us in the winter of 2014. OP's name, believe it or not, is short for Optimus Prime.

Chinese Goose

All three of our Chinese Geese were donated to ZooMontana from a local waterfowl rehab center, presumably there as pet surrenders.

Golden Eagle

Oro came to the Zoo in 2006 after being hit by a car. The impact left him with a permanent wing injury.

American Badger

Uki was brought to ZooMontana by the state in 2019. She was found next to her mother who had been shot. She quickly imprinted on her caregivers during the rehab process, deeming her unreleasable.

North American Porcupine

Lander came to ZooMontana in 2019 after she was found next to her mother, who had been shot. She was raised here at the Zoo and is quickly becoming a guest favorite.

Red Panda

Red pandas prefer bamboo and will only eat the the youngest, most tender shoots and leaves. They eat many other foods as well, including fruit, acorns, roots, and eggs.

Grey Wolf

Kali and Kahlua came to us from the NYS Zoo at Thompson Park in Watertown, New York. They have lived here since they were small pups.

Grizzly Bear

Bruno has been a ZooMontana resident for many years, and Ozzy was a bit of a troublesome bear before he came to ZooMontana.

North American River Otter

Ben and Amelia were relocated to ZooMontana in 2009 as pups due to issues with a local fishery.

Savannah Monitor

Jack the is a pet surrender. He came to the Zoo as a young lizard in 2018 and is slowly becoming more visible in his habitat. He can most often be seen by looking through the tree hole near his ha...

Turkey Vulture

Lurch came to the Zoo in 1997 after he was found as a fledgling and imprinted on humans, andGomez was found in 2017 on the side of a road with a wing injury, presumably hit by a car.

Hoffman's Two Toed Sloth

Winston is the darling Sloth of Montana. He arrived at ZooMontana in June of 2020 to the delight of many.

California King Snake

Taco came to ZooMontana in 2018 as a pet surrender. Taco is now an ambassador animal used for educational programming.

Bearded Dragon

Moana was a pet surrender that has quickly adapted to her new life at ZooMontana.

Alpaca

Both of our Alpacas were donated to ZooMontana after being retired from the show circuit. They both enjoy being goofy in the barn pasture, often sparring with one another.

Bison

Bert came to ZooMontana in 2018 after suffering a broken leg, and Nellie was donated to the Zoo in 2019 by a private ranch in central Montana.

Green Iguana

Cuzco came to ZooMontana as a pet surrender. He's a handsome devil that enjoys walks in the Zoo's plaza.

Koi

ZooMontana has over 70 Koi. The Koi pond is cared for through the generosity of the Billings Water Skipper Pond Club.

Vietnamese Walkingstick

ZooMontana currently has dozens of walkingsticks of various ages. Have fun finding them!

Domestic Chicken

With a population of over 25 billion, chickens are the world's most populous bird.

Peacock

ZooMontana is currently home to two free ranging, male Peacocks.

Cane Toad

Cheech was a pet surrender and was brought to the Zoo in 2017 as a young toad. He can often be seen in the later afternoons as he searches out his food.

Chinchilla

Both Minnie and Daisy are pet surrenders. They can often be seen either on the highest point of the exhibit, or down low in their log.

Guinea Pig

ZooMontana is home to three Guinea pigs that are not on display. Sherman, Hank and Coconut are all pet surrenders.

Corn Snake

Johnny is a pet surrender. He was given to ZooMontana after an encounter with a cat caused him to lose an eye. It's all fun and games...

Leopard Gecko

Steve the Gecko is a pet surrender. He very much enjoys a stroll around the Zoo with his keepers.

Ball Python

Surprisingly, Harry is one of the oldest animals at ZooMontana. He is a pet surrender, and has been a long time ambassador within the Zoo's education department.

Eastern Screech Owl

Scout came to ZooMontana in 2012 after a car strike blinded him in his left eye. Scout's calm demeanor makes him a popular education ambassador.

Colombian Red-Tailed Boa Constrictor

Both our Boa Constrictors have lived tough lives. Both were rescued from inadequate care after being found living in squalor.

Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula

Taboo came to ZooMontana in 2014 as a pet surrender. She enjoys afternoon walks with her keepers.

Sonoran Gopher Snake

Mesa is a pet surrender. Although she was deemed 'aggressive' when dropped off, we at the Zoo have found her to be quite the opposite. She very much enjoys her travels to schools across the state. Be...

Great Horned Owl

Gable has been at ZooMontana for over a decade. He came to ZooMontana after a car strike amputated one of his wings.

Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches

ZooMontana has hundreds of cockroaches, too many to name! The Zoo manages a breeding colony.

Three Toed Box Turtle

Both of our box turtles are pet surrenders. They live side by side, but cannot be placed together due to aggression towards one another.

Flemish Giant Rabbit

Agnes was donated to ZooMontana after being raised through 4H. She is a gentle being and enjoys a good pat.

Domestic Goat

Both goats were donated to ZooMontana from a local breeder. They love their treats and eagerly await guests.

Laughing Kookaburra

Sydney came to ZooMontana from a facility in Tennessee. She enjoys her travels with the Zoo's education crew and loves to laugh. See if you can get her to laugh at the Zoo!

Three Banded Armadillo

Bandy came to the Zoo in 2016. She often sleeps in one of her many logs, however, loves to search for worms in the morning and late afternoons.

Plan Your Event at ZooMontana!

Jeff the Nature Guy Videos

ZooMontana Botanical Park and Arboretum  

Meet the Humans

Alanna Dassoff

Alanna is a relief keeper here at ZooMontana. Before coming to ZooMontana, she worked in the education department at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Allyson Dredla

Allyson has been at ZooMontana for nearly two years and came to us from the San Diego Zoo.

Amanda Olivo

I have been with ZooMontana since 2017. I came to the Zoo with veterinary technician experience and was excited to transition my knowledge to the zoological field.

Blake Stokke - Board

Blake is the owner/ president at Montana Piering and Concrete Lifting and Yellowstone Concrete Cutting.

Bri Little

Ever since I was a little girl I have always had a love for animals. I always dreamed of becoming a Veterinarian until I attended the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program at America’s Teachin...

Darla Card - Board

I have been in the financial world for over 40 years, starting as a Financial Specialist in the Army to my current role as CEO of Valley Credit Union. A large part of our mission is to give back to t...

Darrell Ehrlick - Board

Darrell is the Executive Director of Simulation in Motion - Montana, the world's only accredited mobile medical simulation program.

Debra Harris

I consider myself to be a ZooMontana pioneer. I started as a volunteer in the spring of 1995 working at the barn caring for critters.

Emily Bernhardt

Hi y'all! My name is Emily, and I'm the Education Specialist here at the zoo.

Erin Jenkins

Hello, I'm Erin and I work in the Zoo's gift shop. I’m also in training to handle ambassador animals. I enjoy photography and sports, and will be attending college for photography. I am very athletic,...

Erin Pinney - Board

I have worked at First Interstate Bank in the Wealth Management department for 18 years. Working for a company that values and encourages volunteerism and giving back made it easy to look for opportun...

Jeff Ewelt

I have been involved with animals for twenty years. After 10 years in Florida, along with my wife and newborn son, I decided to slow things down a bit by moving to Montana. In 2011, I accepted the pos...

Josh Vallejo

Josh has been at ZooMontana since 2018 and is a graduate of the famed Moorpark College.

Kathy Barton

When Kathy began working at ZooMontana, she was sad to learn there were no dinosaurs in residence. Then she saw a peacock run, and knew she had been mistaken.

Katie Elam

Hello! My name is Katie, and I am the Education Coordinator here at ZooMontana. Being only one of two full-time educators here at the zoo means that my job keeps me constantly busy, and also encompass...

Katie Maehl - Board

Katie is an attorney with Moulton Bellingham PC, focusing on estate planning and administration, business and commercial transactions, and real estate.

Ken Haak

My name is Ken Haak and I have been a groundskeeper and backup event person for the zoo for the past 8 years.

Krystal Whetham

Krystal has been at the Zoo since 2002 and works primarily within our North America area, creating quite a bond with our Grizzly Bears.

Loran Salsbury

I started at Zoo Montana as a volunteer and really enjoyed working with the animals and at the events. I now work for the zoo in the events department, but I still do volunteer work with the animals.

Luke Goodwin

Luke loves the Zoo for one simple reason - he can watch and interact with animals.

Melissa Eschenbrenner

I began my career working with and for animals in 2007 focusing primarily on the care of exotic felines. Over the years I had the opportunity to branch out and work with everything from Madagascar hi...

Nancy Teeters

I love the Zoo because I’m a sucker for fluffy butts and furry faces.

Rebecca Fink - Board

Rebecca is currently this HRBP Manager of the Billings Refinery at Phillips 66.

Shelli Mann - Board

Shelli Mann has worked in the hotel industry for over thirty years, the last 20 managing the Boothill Inn in Billings, Montana.

Tim Ludewig - Board

Tim is the VP and Branch manager of the Billings King Ave. Stockman Bank. He started working at the bank in 2009 and became the branch manager at our King Avenue bank shortly after. Tim’s educational...

Tracy Neary - Board

Tracy is the Vice President of Mission Integration, SCL Health - Montana Region

Travis Goebel

After graduating from college in 2001, I moved to Montana for an internship with ZooMontana. It has been a pleasure to be part of our zoo’s history for almost 20 years.

Trisha Gleich

Trisha loves the Zoo because it’s a special place in our community to gather.

Thank you to our Partners

ZooMontana is AZA Accredited

To be accredited, ZooMontana underwent a thorough review to make certain it has, and will continue to, meet ever-rising standards in categories which include animal care and welfare, veterinary programs, conservation, education, and safety. AZA requires zoos and aquariums to successfully complete this rigorous accreditation process every five years in order to be members of the Association.