The Birmingham Zoo just got wilder with the grand opening of its newest attraction, Wojciechowski Cougar Crossing. This state-of-the-art habitat, years in the making, is now home to some of nature’s most elusive and fascinating felines: a young orphaned cougar cub and two bobcats, Baxter and Boomer.
With the Zoo celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2025, President and CEO Chris Pfefferkorn called the new exhibit a “major milestone,” made possible thanks to the generosity of Larry and Phyllis Wojciechowski and an outpouring of community support. The grand opening on March 19 is just in time for Spring Break, and visitors are in for an exciting experience.
One of the exhibit’s star residents is an adorable six-month-old female cougar cub who arrived at the Zoo on February 11, thanks to transportation provided by FedEx. The young cub, weighing 28 pounds, was found orphaned in Montana and was unable to be returned to the wild. Now, she has a safe home at Wojciechowski Cougar Crossing—but there’s just one thing missing: her name!
Starting on opening day, visitors can participate in an exciting naming contest to give the cub her new identity. The three name options, carefully selected by the Alabama Wilds animal care team, are:
- Sage – Inspired by the sagebrush, a common plant in Montana.
- Sierra – A nod to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, part of the cougar’s native habitat.
- Juniper – Named after the Rocky Mountain Juniper, another plant from her home region.
Voting is as easy as clicking a button—just visit the Birmingham Zoo’s Facebook or Instagram pages and cast your vote. Each vote costs $1, and every dollar raised will go directly toward the care of the cougar cub. Voting closes on April 1, 2025, at 10 p.m. CT, and the winning name will be announced the next day.
Joining the young cougar in the new habitat are two seven-year-old bobcats, Baxter and Boomer, who arrived from the San Diego Humane Society on March 7. The pair have been inseparable since their rescue and rehabilitation in California, where both were found too habituated to humans to be released back into the wild.
Baxter was discovered as a kitten in 2018 in Santa Barbara and eventually transferred to the Ramona Wildlife Center. Boomer, meanwhile, was rescued later that year by Humane Law Enforcement and also taken to Ramona, where he bonded instantly with Baxter. Now, the dynamic duo has a fresh start in Birmingham, where they’ve been settling in well.
Bobcats might be smaller than cougars, but don’t underestimate them! These agile cats can run up to 30 mph and jump 12 feet—meaning Baxter and Boomer will have plenty of room to show off their skills.
Visitors will have the chance to see these incredible animals up close, though they might not always be visible as they adjust to their new home. The habitat includes both indoor and outdoor spaces, and guests will even be able to observe their training sessions behind glass.
The opening of Wojciechowski Cougar Crossing is just the latest chapter in the Birmingham Zoo’s long history of conservation and education. Pfefferkorn expressed gratitude for the widespread support in bringing this vision to life, stating, “This has truly become a community initiative with hundreds of people, companies, and other organizations joining together to help us be successful.”
So, if you’re looking for something wild to do this Spring Break, head over to the Birmingham Zoo! Say hello to Baxter and Boomer, check out the new habitat, and don’t forget to vote for your favorite name to help welcome the newest member of the zoo family.
Which name will win—Sage, Sierra, or Juniper? The choice is yours!
Sherri Blevins is a writer for Mountain Valley News and a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
