Cougar Mountain Zoo

Cougar Mountain Zoo is an 11-acre (4.5 ha) non-profit zoological park located in Issaquah, Washington, on the north slope of Cougar Mountain about 15 miles (24 km) east of Seattle. It is located near the border of the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. The zoo focuses on endangered species including lemurs from Madagascar, Bengal tigers, and endangered birds from various parts of the world. It was founded in 1972 by Peter and Marcie Rittler who operated it admission-free for its first 15 years. In 1990, the founders donated it to the Zoological Society of Washington which assumed the zoo's management and fundraising endeavors. As of 2009, Peter Rittler continued in the zoo's management.