Ponderosa Zoo

Ponderosa Zoo is home to over 130 animals from lemurs to reindeer. We are a dedicated team of hard working and passionate individuals who aim to promote animal welfare, in addition to educating the public on conservation efforts and the threats many species now face in the wild. Ponderosa Zoo (originally Ponderosa Rural Therapeutic Centre) was created in 1991 by Maureen Cook with the aim to 'bridge the gap' between disabled and able bodied people through the care of animals as a form of therapy. At the time the centre held a variety of domestic animals including pigs, goats and cattle. Although we are now a much bigger facility with our primary focus being on welfare, education and conservation, we still hold our 'Bridge the Gap' vision by ensuring our zoo is always disabled friendly and offering a variety of grounds keeping roles for disabled individuals to gain valuable work experience in a friendly and welcoming environment.