ROANOKE, Va. – Mill Mountain Zoo made the big reveal today by introducing a new face, Hyde the black bear.
Hyde was brought in from Wright Park Zoo in Dodge City, Kansas where she lived since she was three months old. She was born in captivity.
At just 10 years old, Hyde weighs 350 pounds.
From renovating her enclosure and the observation deck for her visitors, Hyde’s arrival is the zoo’s biggest project since the enclosure for Ruby, the tiger.
It was a two-year process but now that she’s here the zoo plans to incorporate her into their Virginia wildlife.
“We want to make sure people understand the animals that we are coexisting with and can see in their own backyard and to appreciate them,” said Development Director, Jessie Coffman.
While Hyde has spent all of her life in captivity, her enclosure was created to resemble life in the wild. It includes blueberry and elderberry plants and trees that can be used for climbing.
Hyde isn’t the only new addition to Mill Mountain Zoo. On Saturday, Mill Mountain Zoo is hosting Party for the Planet and will debut sculptures made out of recycled materials.
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