West Virginia is a state with very few zoos. So few, in fact, that many people don't even know we have any at all. We actually have three, but only one them has 20 rare and endangered species.
The Oglebay Good Zoo was named after Philip Mayer Good, who passed away at the young age of seven. Originally a children's zoo comprised entirely of North American animals, the zoo now has animals from several different countries. Out of the 50 species living at the zoo, 20 are either rare or endangered.
The red panda is an endangered species from the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal, China, Tibet, and India. The zoo has two pandas named Amber and Junji. The park cares for them as part of the Species Survival Plan, a program overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. All of the rare or endangered species at the park are part of this program.
Another species at the zoo is a female serval named Malika. Servals are native to Africa and are the only feline species that are both spotted and striped.
Linne’s two-toed sloths are native to the forests of South America. They are common, but their numbers are in decline. They are also the slowest mammals in the world - so slow, in fact, that algae grows in their fur. The zoo cares for a single young female named Sweet Pea.
Another species at the zoo is this albino American alligator named Luna, and two others in a separate area named Oscar and Stevie (not albinos). This species used to face extinction before receiving conservation protection in 1967. Today, they are no longer endangered.
Cotton-top tamarins are a breed of monkey native to Colombia. The tamarin has become a rare species due to deforestation and bio-medical research. The zoo cares for two geriatric tamarins named Kapok and Lola.
Other species at the zoo include zebras, cheetahs, pythons, tortoises, lemurs, zebras, bald eagles, kangaroos, wallabies and many more. Good Zoo is part of Oglebay Resort, which also offers lodging, tennis, golf, boating, hiking, swimming and the Aerial Challenge Course. Oglebay Resort is located at 465 Lodge Dr. in Wheeling. The zoo is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
For more information about Oglebay Good Zoo, you can visit their website here, and their Facebook page here.
Have you ever been to Good Zoo? Feel free to comment below and tell us about your visit.
Would you like to know about West Virginia's other zoos? Check out this zoo and adventure park in Kingwood.
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