In Mike & Mary Stark Grizzly Ridge, you can watch our grizzly bears run, play and splash in their pool. Plus, you'll have fun sliding down the otter slide. This fully enclosed acrylic tube takes you right through the river otter exhibit.
You will also marvel at coyotes, red wolves, bald eagles and more!
History
This area sits right on the historic Portage Path — the trail that connected the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers, and was approximately eight miles in length.
Native Americans used this path to transport their canoes overland from one river to the other. Using canoes, Native Americans could travel by water from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico except for this small section. A bronze arrowhead marker in Grizzly Ridge identifies the path.
Grizzly Ridge opened in 2013 and was the largest expansion of the Akron Zoo at the time.
Features
In the heart of Grizzly Ridge, at the otter habitat, visitors can have the experience of a lifetime on the otter slide. The otter slide is a fully enclosed acrylic tube that goes underwater right through the otter pool.
The grizzly bear habitat includes a grizzly bear training wall, where the bears can demonstrate different training behaviors, such as opening their mouths, standing on their hind legs, presenting their paw, etc.
Many of our animals are trained in behaviors that help them participate in their own healthcare.
Grizzly Ridge achieved a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Campus destination for all of the green aspects built into the area. One of the best examples of the space's green practices is the pool water reclamation system that allows 100% of the water from the habitats to be reused.
