How to see the most activity from Bays Mountain animals
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — Bays Mountain’s animals are easily the park’s most popular attractions, as the results of a 2023 survey found.
Park leaders say they’re committed to investing more in the park’s animal habitats with plans to build a brand new enclosure and bring otters back to the park by late 2025.
But animal lovers won’t have to wait until next year to see something new at the park.
Last fall, park leaders opened a new habitat for Jamie the Fox and brought in a new companion, Sabra. Ranger Miranda Wanninger says there’s no better time to check out the park’s newest resident.
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“They’re a little bit more active right now,” Wanninger told News Channel 11. “They’re rolling around a bit. They’re getting rid of those winter coats as well as our wolves. So you’re going to see them looking a little interesting as they’re starting to lose that winter fur coming in.”
Wanninger acknowledges catching that kind of activity from the park’s most popular animals—foxes, wolves and bobcats—can be a little difficult.
“A lot of our animals here at Bays Mountain Park are crepuscular, which means they’re most active earlier in the morning, and late into the afternoon and into the evening,” Wanninger said.
She recommends coming by first thing when the park opens or after 5:30 p.m. to get the most bang for your buck, especially with her favorite animal.
“I’m a little biased because I work with the bobcats a lot,” Wanninger said. “When they are out and about, they go nuts. So they’re really fun to watch when they are active and running around.”
But visitors who miss out on the mammals will be sure to see some activity in the herpetarium which is home to snakes, lizards and even a rescue program for turtles injured by cars.
Wanninger said they’ve seen an uptick in calls about injured turtles, but that the park will welcome as many as it has space for.
“If you do think that they are in need of immediate attention, you can give us a call and we will confirm whether or not we’re able to take in that turtle,” Wanninger said.
Whether caring for turtles, bobcats or birds, Wanninger says she’s working on ways to get the public involved. She hopes to launch new programs to create “enrichment” or the equivalent of “toys” to keep the animals entertained.
“Then they’ll also get to watch the enrichment that they make,” Wanninger said. “We’ll get that reward themselves of seeing that animal out and about interacting with it in real-time.”
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