Future Projects

Riparian Habitat The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center is excited to begin design work on the Riparian Habitat. Characterized by lush vegetation along freshwater streams and rivers, riparian habitats support a diverse array of wildlife.  This planned series of aquatic exhibits will highlight the interrelationships between bears, wolves and the associated species within a typical Yellowstone riparian habitat. Situated along the southern perimeter of the new River Valley Wolf Habitat, the building and landscape will be a complex system of streams, ponds and land habitat which will represent a living example of the ecosystem. Visitors will learn about how the presence of wolves in Yellowstone has had an impact on riparian habitats. The planned exhibits include the North American river otter, Yellowstone cutthroat trout, American dipper and boreal toad.   

The conceptual see-through rendering below shows the view from the River Valley Wolf Habitat. Visitors will walk through the building while being immersed into the habitat literally as a “visitor.” Our guests will be submerged below grade allowing a level, eye-to-eye relationship with the otters, birds will be elevated, trout are at an equal level to viewers, and the wolves outside will be above eye level. A series of interactive interpretive materials will walk the visitor through the cascading interrelationships between wolves, elk, willow/aspen, insects/beaver, birds/amphibians/trout, otters/bears.   

The Center plans to raise the needed $3.1 million dollars over the next few years to build this facility. The first $300,000 will produce the construction blueprints.

Visitors will see fascinating otters frolicking above and below water in a natural streamside habitat.

We envision a dynamic hall of both live animal and interpretive exhibits focused on the river ecosystems found throughout Yellowstone.

Bear Meadow Exhibit
A new bear exhibit and associated den building that will allow the Center to rescue additional bears who have been orphaned or that have become a nuisance because of human behavior. The exhibit will feature river rapids that splash down into a large trout-stocked pond. A viewing cave will provide underwater viewing of the bears. In addition, a centralized den building will allow the animal staff to move bears from one habitat to the other creating varied and enriched environments for the bears.

This exhibit is a long-term goal of the Center and may be tens years in development depending on available funds.

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