Oglebay Good Zoo breaks ground on West Virginia’s first lion habitat

WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) — Get ready for a Safari at the Oglebay Good Zoo, as a brand new lion habitat, the Gary E West Pridelands, officially broke ground on Thursday.

It will be located within Outpost Africa, which will also be home to cheetahs, zebras, red river hogs and other African species.

It will span over 20,000 square feet and will be the only one of its kind in West Virginia.  

“It really came as a big idea from Dr. Joe Greathouse, the director of our Oglebay Good Zoo, and he came to us with the idea of bringing lions to the zoo. And he thought, you know, it’s not it’s not enough. We need to have a world class experience here.”
Bob Peckenpaugh – President & CEO, Wheeling Park Commission 

The immersive guest experience will include front row views of the lions, guided tours, and evening encounters with the lions.

Guests will get to experience first-hand how they are cared for by veterinarians, and sleep overnight next to them. 

“We want them to feel like they’re in the wild, except not having the stress of having to catch their own food. Fight off other prize of lions dealing with the disease like you would see in the wild. So, we want to match that experience except take away the bad things.”
Dr. Joe Greathouse – Director, Oglebay Good Zoo 

This project supports the African Lion SAFE Program, which protects wild lions and their natural habitats.

It is scheduled to be completed by June of 2026.

The project was made possible by the generous support of Flip West and family, the Colcom Foundation, Helen J. prince Foundation, WesBanco, Wheeling Tire and several others.