Toledo Zoo announces grand opening of Komminsk Family Kodiak Ridge

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The Toledo Zoo has announced the grand opening of the Komminsk Family Kodiak Ridge will take place on Thursday.

On March 16, the new home for the Zoo’s Grizzly and Kodiak Brown bears will officially open to the public following a short ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:15 a.m. The bear exhibit will be located by Tiger Terrace.

According to the Toledo Zoo, Cody, Montana and Dodge are the three bears who get to call the exhibit their new home. Cody and Montana are Grizzly bear sisters who were born in January 2015 in Yellowstone Park and came to live at the Zoo as six month old orphaned cubs. Dodge is a Kodiak Brown bear who was born on Kodiak Island in Alaska.

The Toledo Zoo says this exhibit will provide a unique opportunity for visitors to observe, interact and learn about the magnificent animals. The over 14,000-square-foot exhibit has been extended to give the three bears more room to roam and to give visitors more opportunities to get up close with two viewing areas.

“We are thrilled to open the Komminsk Family Kodiak Ridge to give our three bears more space to thrive and have plenty of opportunities to exhibit natural behaviors, like foraging and climbing,” said Michael Frushour, curator of mammals for the Toledo Zoo. “It’s a wonderful addition to our Zoo, and we are excited to be able to provide our guests with this unique, up-close experience.”

The Ridge includes a 130-square-foot cave for the bears to nap in and a 5,000-gallon pool for the bears to play in. For visitors, the Ridge includes a smelling log, which allows visitors to crawl inside and come face-to-face with the bears, and a public sandbox, which is mirrored with the bears’ dedicated digging area, that will provide an opportunity for the bears and kids to dig and play together.

For more information about the exhibit and the Zoo’s brown bears, click here.