Wymoning Zoos and Aquariums
- Wyoming Dinosaur Center – Thermopolis
While not a zoo, this major paleontology center features real dinosaur skeletons, interactive exhibits, and live fossil digs. The center educates visitors about Wyoming’s prehistoric wildlife and the region’s unique fossil record. - Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center – West Yellowstone, MT (just outside Wyoming)
An AZA-accredited wildlife park and educational facility next to Yellowstone National Park. Visitors can see live grizzly bears, gray wolves, river otters, and more, with indoor/outdoor viewing and interactive exhibits about the Yellowstone ecosystem. Note: Located just across the border in Montana, but a top wildlife attraction for Wyoming visitors. - Wyoming Toad Conservation Exhibit – National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, Dubuque, IA
This AZA-accredited aquarium participates in the recovery of the endangered Wyoming Toad, a species native only to Albany County, Wyoming. The exhibit highlights conservation efforts and the importance of amphibians to ecosystem health. Note: There is no public aquarium in Wyoming, but this program is critical for the state’s wildlife. - Broken Bandit Wildlife Center – Cheyenne
A private wildlife rehabilitation facility caring for native and a few permitted exotic species (such as coatimundis and bobcats). Not a traditional zoo, but sometimes offers educational visits and outreach. Note: Not a public zoo, but the closest Wyoming has to an animal sanctuary with limited educational access. Note: Wyoming is one of only two U.S. states without a traditional public zoo or aquarium. For classic zoo experiences, residents and visitors typically travel to neighboring states. However, the state offers world-class wildlife viewing in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, and several centers and sanctuaries provide educational animal encounters and conservation programs.
|