Tigers for Tomorrow at Untamed Mountain

About Tigers for Tomorrow at Untamed Mountain

Tigers for Tomorrow at Untamed Mountain, also called Untamed Mountain Wild Animal Preserve, is an exotic animal preserve at 708 County Road 345 in Attalla, in Etowah County, Alabama. A photo caption in the Encyclopedia of Alabama describes it as an exotic animal sanctuary, founded in 1999, on 160 acres in northeast Alabama, with animals rescued from wildlife parks, private owners and other situations. The preserve's website states its mission as upholding the highest standards of care and respect for native and exotic animals in need of secure permanent homes, while serving as an educational center and recreational destination. It is not AZA accredited.

History

The Encyclopedia of Alabama gives 1999 as the founding year. The preserve's website credits Sue Steffens as its founder and lists a board of directors. According to the homepage, Tigers for Tomorrow started out as a big cat preserve and has grown into a full-scale predatory preserve. The field trip page says it is licensed by the USDA and Alabama state wildlife agencies. The About page says the preserve educates more than 30,000 visitors annually and supports five conservation organizations each year.

Exhibits and habitats

The preserve's homepage describes it as a forever home for several species of wild cats, North American black bears and brown bears, and more than 50 canids including wolves, hyenas, coyotes and several species of foxes. It also lists small mammals such as civets and genets, a barnyard menagerie and 26 rescue equines, including horses, mules, donkeys and miniature horses. The field trip page describes more than 80 apex predators, including tigers, leopards, cougars, wolves and bears, along with a Barnyard Contact Area and a Legacy Living Classroom.

According to the visit page, a walkabout begins at the Animal Contact Yard, home to capybaras, Tootles the camel, Scottish Highland cows named Willie Nelson and Toby Keith, and other barnyard animals. The website describes the preserve as designed so that visitors can see a working facility; the feed truck is often out on its route during open hours, and guests may watch from at least 10 feet back. Most of the preserve is shaded, and misters run in summer. The events page also mentions a Highland cow named Lazarus.

Capybara encounters with the capybaras Gretel and Mocha last about 15 to 20 minutes for up to four guests. The website says they cannot be reserved, are limited each day and depend on the animals' willingness to take part.

Conservation and programs

The preserve's conservation page lists partnerships with the Feline Conservation Foundation, the Geoffroy's Cat Working Group, the Vital Ground Foundation, Antigua Exotics in Guatemala, S.P.E.C.I.E.S., WILDLIFE Asia and a local dog rescue, Second Chance Shelter. It says founder Susan Steffens is vice chair of the Feline Conservation Foundation board.

The page describes camera-trap monitoring of Geoffroy's cats, Pampas cats and margays in South America's Pampa biome. It reports that funds from the third annual Felid Fest, a Feline Conservation Foundation event, support the foundation's field projects, and that in 2024 the foundation provided 30 trail cameras to Felinos do Pampa after floods destroyed research equipment.

Field trips run year-round Tuesday through Friday, last 1.5 to 2 hours and accommodate up to 160 students, with grade-specific life science and agriscience content. Private tours for one to 10 people last about 1.5 hours with an educational specialist and are booked by reservation only. The visit page says private tours can include an optional tiger feeding, done across a public safety barrier with a feeding pole.

Planning your visit

As listed on the preserve's website, it is open Saturdays and Sundays year-round from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in December, January and February. From March through November it is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Fridays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a 4 p.m. closing in November. Last admission is an hour before closing, and no reservation is needed. General admission tickets are sold only at the admission counter on site, and most guests spend about two hours on a self-guided walkabout.

The website describes the terrain as dirt and uneven in places. Trails in the lower preserve are like nature trails; a jogging stroller is recommended, and the lower preserve is not wheelchair friendly, so guests needing help are asked to call ahead. Strollers and wheelchairs are not rented. Guests may bring their own beverages without straws and picnic near the Big Cat Playground, and the Dragonfly Cafe is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends. Restrooms are at the top of the preserve. Service animals are permitted with advance notice by phone at 256-524-4150. The visitor rules prohibit yelling, ringing cell phones, clapping or whistling to get an animal's attention, running, and throwing food or other items toward enclosures. Children under 12 must be chaperoned, and pets are not allowed. The events page lists the Harvest Howls Fall Fest on October 17 and 18, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and has also listed evening Family Night Tours with a capybara encounter and a tiger feed. Ticket details are on the website.