Visitors check in at the ticket window at the Big Bear Alpine Zoo in Big Bear Lake on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Photo by Eric Reed, Contributing Photographer) * ...

About 45 animals from the Big Bear Alpine Zoo were transported to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert last week as smoke from the 39,232-acre wildfire affected air quality.

This isn’t the first time Big Bear’s zoo had to evacuate their animals due to a wildfire. Back in 2002, the Alpine Zoo transported their animals to Living Desert.

The Big Bear zoo has been forced to evacuate its animals in the past due to wildfires, including in 2002 when some of its animals were brought to The Living Desert.

About 50 animals were taken from The Living Desert back to the Big Bear Alpine Zoo after wildfire evacuation orders were lifted. Click here for important updates to our privacy policy.

Piper, a red fox evacuated from the Big Bear Alpine Zoo due to the Line Fire, walks out of a crate Sept. 19 during training to become comfortable with it before being transported back to the zoo ...

Dozens of zoo animals from Big Bear are being temporarily housed at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert. Big Bear remains under an evacuation warning due to the Line Fire. Staff at ...

A fire had broken out, putting Big Bear in its path and the small crew at the Big Bear Alpine Zoo on high alert. As zookeepers monitored the news and checked the weather, the sky darkened and the ...