Big Bear Zoo Gets New Residents

Today, Friends of the Big Bear Zoo (FOBBAZ) announced that Subaru of San Bernardino will be the premier sponsor for its inaugural Golf Tournament to be held Friday, February 7 at the Classic Club in Palm Desert.

Funds raised at the tournament will be committed to building a new Himalayan Habitat for the Big Bear Alpine Zoo’s newest residents, Asha and Shanti, two sister Snow Leopards who will arrive this Spring. As the premier sponsor of the tournament, the new Himalayan Habitat will be dedicated to Subaru of San Bernardino.

“Subaru is very in touch with animal populations and we’re more than happy to be a sponsor for the tournament,” said Cliff Cummings, owner of Subaru of San Bernardino.

FOBBAZ has also secured sponsorships from Palm Spring Motors, Mitsubishi Cement, Big Bear Sports Camp, the Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 783, KBHR Radio, Albert Webb & Associates Engineering, The Tim Wood Group-Coldwell Banker Real Estate, Porter Construction, OMYA and Guaranteed Rate Home Loans.

Sponsorships are still available and players can register for the event by contacting Lorie Judd at (909) 866-9700.

The Himalayan Snow Leopard is an endangered species and Asha and Shanti were born in May 2012 as part of Species Survival Breeding Program in an effort to save the species from extinction.  Unfortunately, both of the sisters were born with a genetic disease which impacts their eyes.  Because of this, the Species Survival Program will be not use them for breeding and they will come to Big Bear to act as Animal Ambassador’s for the species.

The Big Bear Alpine Zoo is a wild animal rescue facility in the community of Moonridge in the City of Big Bear Lake.  The Zoo was created to be a home for life to the 10 percent of rescue animals that cannot be released back into the wild due to injury or familiarity with humans.  It is the only Alpine Zoo in the Western United States and one of only two Alpine Zoos in the entire U.S.

The new enclosure will be constructed at the existing Zoo site but will movable to the new Big Bear Alpine Zoo at the intersection of Moonridge Road and Club View Drive when it begins construction.

For more information about the Big Bear Alpine Zoo and FOBBAZ, please visit www.bigbearzoo.org.