Home For Life
 The
lives
of more than 160 wild animals and birds representing 80 species are at stake
as Moonridge Animal Park needs to relocate due to an expiring land lease in
February 2010. The Home For Life Campaign is an urgent appeal to raise $19 million to secure a new permanent site and build a new wildlife
facility in the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California.
The park's animals have already cheated death once, and are among the more
than 8,000 injured, abandoned, or endangered wildlife rescued and rehabilitated
at Moonridge Animal Park since it opened in 1959. Ironically, the animals
are in danger again, as their home itself is now fighting for survival.
With the expiration of its land lease, the 2.5-acre park is in a race
against time to secure a new home-site in the California mountain community
of Big Bear Lake, where the climate and eco-structure are vital to the
survival of alpine wildlife.
Spearheaded by the non-profit Friends of the Moonridge Zoo, the Home
For Life campaign is an urgent drive to secure a permanent home where every
Moonridge Animal Park inhabitant can live out its life.
Vital support, in the form of private donations, is being sought to
supplement limited federal and state grant monies for the move. Funds raised
in the Home For Life campaign will go towards the phased development of
a new facility, and the task of physically moving the animals to their
permanent new home.
The relocation is being called a unique partnering project between the
private sector and government, with the potential to become the first of
its kind in the nation. "The enormous task of physically transporting and
housing 160 wild animals requires all the help we can get," said Moonridge
Animal Park Curator Don Richardson. A task force of public, private, and
volunteer organizations is developing a relocation plan. A site has been
proposed on USDA Forest Service property, located across the lake from
the current facility. "The challenge," adds Richardson, "is to keep the process
going forward on schedule."
"The clock is ticking on the lives of these animals," continued Richardson,
"putting us in a life-or-death race to secure funds, complete environmental
impact reports, and design and construct a new facility so we can continue
to protect and learn about these majestic animals."
As the only alpine forest zoo specializing in native alpine animals in the entire United States, Moonridge
Animal Park's mission is to promote an understanding of alpine forest wildlife
to produce harmony between humans and nature. Each year with the help of
trained docents, Moonridge Animal Park offers hundreds of educational programs
for school children, youth organizations, families, and visitors from around
the world. Endangered and threatened species are among the zoo's wild but
non-releasable inhabitants. The animals represent 80 different alpine and
sub-alpine species, predominantly native to California.
Please support Home For Life today! Your
tax-deductible donation will help make the difference between life and
death for these beautiful animals!
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