This is a brand-new habitat that has only been open for 5 weeks and there is still a lot of hotwire in the enclosure. Many trees are wired off so that the bear will resist the temptation to smash them down, and the final quarter of the exhibit (at the back) has a ring of electrified fence so the announcement of the enclosure being a half acre in size is slightly exaggerated at the moment. Nevertheless it is a very good bear habitat with large viewing windows that allow visitors to have a panoramic view of surrounding mountains as well as a sloping, hilly grizzly exhibit. This habitat has been a labour of love for the zoo and the zoo’s 2000 master plan gave details of a bear exhibit but things move at a glacial pace at many small zoos and Pocatello is no different. A major downside to the new area is that it is reached via a steeply sloping pathway that winds down towards the viewing windows, and after time is spent searching for a bear visitors are forced to walk all the way back up the hill.
