Cougar Mountain Zoo unveils cougar cubs
June 28, 2011
Months after Cougar Mountain Zoo’s iconic cougar Nashi died, keepers unveiled a trio of month-old cougar cubs June 23.
Cougar Mountain Zoo plans to unveil cougar cubs to the public July 16. Contributed
The cubs — one male and two females born May 20 — should go on display July 16. In the meantime, zoogoers might see the cubs during unscheduled public appearances after July 1.
“The cubs are absolutely adorable! They are extremely playful and curious about everything,” zoo General Curator Robyn Barfoot said in a news release. “I can’t wait to bring them home and introduce them to our zoo visitors.”
Barfoot and Senior Keeper Sasha Puskar picked up the then-2-pound cubs at a Wisconsin zoo.
The cubs replace Nashi, a longtime denizen at the nonprofit zoo. Nashi died in February at age 17. Keepers started the search for cougar cubs soon after.
The zoo lacked a namesake big cat in the months since Nashi’s death.
“We are still recovering from losing Nashi this past February. He was an incredible and iconic cougar,” Barfoot said. “With the addition of these new cubs, our hearts are happy again. The cubs have a lot to live up to, but so far, they are doing a fantastic job. They are healthy, happy cubs and I think our visitors will give them a wonderful welcome.”
Issaquah’s Cougar Mountain Zoo unveils cougar cubs
June 23, 2011
Cougar Mountain Zoo's collection includes a trio of cougar cubs. Contributed
NEW — 8:30 p.m. June 23, 2011
Months after Cougar Mountain Zoo’s iconic cougar died, keepers unveiled a trio of month-old cougar cubs Thursday.
The cubs — one male and two females — should go on display July 16. In the meantime, zoogoers might see the cubs during unscheduled public appearances after July 1.
Cougar Mountain Zoo welcomes rare birds
June 21, 2011
Cougar Mountain Zoo recently welcomed Mia and Milo — two, rare red-vented cockatoos.
Red-vented cockatoos, sometimes called Philippine cockatoos, are listed as critically endangered. They are native to the Philippines and number less than 1,000 in the wild due to habitat loss and illegal trapping.
Cougar Mountain Zoo is only one of two zoos in the United States to have the red-vented cockatoos on display.
The zoo is open for general admission from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and is open for prescheduled programs seven days a week.
Learn more at www.cougarmountainzoo.org.
Remember Issaquah zoo’s beloved cougar Saturday
March 25, 2011
NEW — 10 a.m. March 25, 2011
Join other zoogoers to remember the cougar Nashi, the beloved and iconic Cougar Mountain Zoo denizen, at a Saturday celebration.
Nashi died at age 17 late last month. The celebration starts at 2 p.m. at the zoo, 19525 S.E. 54th St. The zoo plans to open the stage for zoogoers and zookeepers to talk about Nashi.
The orphaned cougar cub arrived at the nonprofit zoo from Minnesota woods more 17 years ago.
The other cougar at the zoo, Merlin, died in 2008, and General Curator Robyn Barfoot is raising money to refurbish the cougar habitat and acquire cubs for the exhibit.
The zoo is seeking donations to cover the expected $10,000 cost. Zoogoers can donate at the zoo website.
Last cougar dies at Issaquah zoo
March 15, 2011
Nashi, a cougar at Cougar Mountain Zoo, died from old age Feb. 24. Contributed
The community is invited to Cougar Mountain Zoo to honor the life of Nashi, a cougar transplanted from the woods of Minnesota to the zoo more than 17 years ago.
Nashi died from old age Feb 24. Though he had been showing signs of slowing down for the past several months, the loss was still devastating to staff, volunteers and zoo visitors, Cougar Mountain Zoo General Curator Robyn Barfoot said.
“He was a fantastic cougar. He had a lot of spunk in him,” she said. “He enjoyed talking with the visitors every day.”
The Nashi Memorial Celebration will be at March 26 at the zoo. Instead of holding its traditional cougar lecture, the zoo will open the stage for people to talk about Nashi. Staff members who raised and worked with him will talk about his life.
“I used to joke around that he’s a rock star, because he is,” Barfoot said.
At the zoo, Nashi would model for product labels, television shows and nature documentaries.
Cougar dies at Cougar Mountain Zoo; curator plans memorial
March 14, 2011
Nashi, a cougar at Cougar Mountain Zoo, died from old age Feb. 24 at age 17. Contributed
NEW — 2:15 p.m. March 14, 2011
The community is invited to Cougar Mountain Zoo to honor the life of Nashi, a cougar transplanted from the woods of Minnesota to the zoo more than 17 years ago.
Nashi died from old age Feb 24. Though he had been showing signs of slowing down for the past several months, the loss was still devastating to staff, volunteers and zoo visitors, Cougar Mountain Zoo General Curator Robyn Barfoot said.
Off the Press
March 1, 2011
Issaquah attractions are worthy of bucket list
I’ve worked here at The Issaquah Press for over a decade now, covering different aspects of one of the state’s fastest growing towns.
David Hayes Press Reporter
I’ve patrolled the schools beat, sat in on City Council meetings when the city reporter was out of town, and roamed the sidelines at sporting events when Bob Taylor, our sports editor, couldn’t be everywhere at once.
Seeing so many sides of Issaquah, it has really grown on me over the years. How could it not, with so much to do and see, and with such interesting people waiting to tell their tale?
And that’s the problem. As I move further into my second decade covering Issaquah, I’ve realized there is still so much I haven’t done.
As “bucket lists” — where you make up a list of things to do before you die — have become all the rage, consider this my list of righting all the missed opportunities I’ve incurred since living and working in Issaquah.
Cougar Mountain Zoo offers talk about tigers
February 15, 2011
A Bengal tiger is captured on film in Kanha National Tiger Preserve, India. By Robyn Barfoot
On Feb. 27, Cougar Mountain Zoo will host a lecture on the dilemma of the Bengal tiger.
General Curator and Zoo Manager Robyn Barfoot will be the speaker.
“The lecture was the suggestion of one of our zoo members who wanted to know about my trip to India and the conservation work I had done,” Barfoot said. “She suggested making it a public meeting and I ran with it.”
According to Barfoot, the Bengal tiger has seen a 97 percent drop in its population in the past 100 years. In search of answers, she recently made a visit to India and met with directors from different tiger parks as well as the director of the World Wildlife Fund.
The lecture will go more in-depth on the subject of the tiger and discuss ways people can help.
“I will have a slideshow of photos from my trip and will touch on ecotourism in India and what that means for the Bengal Tiger,” Barfoot said. “There will be a Q-and-A section and information on what ‘we’ can do to help the wild tiger. It’s going to be a relaxed environment, encouraging interaction and open discussions about the plight of the tiger.”
Cougar Mountain Zoo is home to four Bengal tigers. Senior Keeper Sasha Puskar has been at the zoo since June 2005 and has worked closely with the tigers since their arrival.
“I work daily with our now four Bengal tigers with general husbandry, feeding, medicating (if needed) and training,” Puskar said. “From the tools obtained by the zoo and Robyn, I do my best to provide anyone I encounter a vast amount of information about this vanishing species.”
Find reindeer games aplenty at Cougar Mountain Zoo
November 30, 2010
Santa Claus feeds apple slices to Olive the reindeer last year at the barn attached to Santa’s House during the annual Issaquah Reindeer Festival. By Greg Farrar
Issaquah Reindeer Festival raises money for exhibits
Not many people can name all nine of Santa’s reindeer, but Cougar Mountain Zoo General Curator Robyn Barfoot can name 10.
That’s right. There’s Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen — not to mention Rudolph — and, Olive, as in “All of the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him names; they never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games.”
“Zookeepers have a very strange sense of humor,” Barfoot said.
There weren’t always 10 reindeer at Issaquah’s Cougar Mountain Zoo. The first group of reindeer, six in all, came directly from Siberia 23 years ago. Though at the zoo — and in Issaquah, no less — the reindeer not only help Santa every Christmas season but also bring in much-needed dollars for the zoo, which has a slow season during the cold, rainy months. Read more
Santa’s Reindeer at Cougar Mountain Zoo / Nov. 28, 2010
November 30, 2010
