Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo, Wildlife preserve and zoo in Thurmont, Maryland, United States.
Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo is a wildlife park and zoo in Thurmont, Maryland, set across a large wooded property with natural ponds and landscaped animal habitats. The animals, coming from several continents, are grouped by species in separate dedicated areas across the grounds.
The site started in 1933 as a small snake farm run by a man named Gordon Gaver. The Hahn family took it over in 1964 and gradually shaped it into the zoo it is today.
The preserve runs hands-on programs where visitors can interact directly with animals and hear from the keepers who care for them every day. These sessions give a real sense of what it takes to care for wildlife outside their natural habitat.
Comfortable shoes are a good idea since most of the visit takes place outdoors over uneven ground. The park covers enough ground that a half-day is a reasonable minimum to see the main areas.
Safari truck rides through the wooded parts of the property let visitors hand-feed large herbivores at close range, which is not something most zoos in the United States offer. This makes the encounter feel more like a direct meeting than a typical zoo visit.
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