60 Years of Growing Catoctin Wildlife Preserve

By Alisha Yocum

Sixty years and three generations later, Catoctin Wildlife Preserve (CWP) is still sharing a love of animals with the community.

Richard and Mary Anne Hahn first purchased the property at 13019 Catoctin Furnace Road in Thurmont in March 1966. The three-acre property was purchased from the widow of Gordon Gaver, who owned and operated the Jungleland Snake Farm.

The property included the small building along the road, which still exists today, along with several snake pits. “It was mostly wooded, overgrown, and covered in poison ivy,” recalls Mary Anne.

After a lot of cleanup, Richard and Mary Anne, just 23 and 24 years old and with a baby on their hip, officially opened the preserve on Mother’s Day that year. In the beginning, the preserve featured mostly reptiles, as reptiles have always been Richard’s true passion.

The plan was for the preserve to be a summer business, while Richard, who had a degree in biology, would teach during the rest of the year. The couple would soon learn that this was more than a summer business. They committed themselves year-round to growing the business and caring for the animals.

The Hahns continued expanding the property as neighboring parcels became available. What began as a three-acre property has now grown to more than 160 acres, home to more than 700 species and providing jobs for 60 people.

Their son, Callan, and grandson, Marshall, help run the family business, and it is easy to see that Richard’s love and passion for animals have been passed down through the generations.

Callan grew up living at the zoo. The family’s home was a cabin that stood on the original property when Richard and Mary Anne purchased it, and they lived there for 50 years. Marshall has since taken over the cabin, where he now lives with his family.

Both have completed “walkabouts,” where they have worked at zoos across the country to learn their practices and bring knowledge back to CWP.

Over the years, the Hahns have focused on species they felt needed “a champion.”

“Our zoo has become a stronghold for animals you won’t see anywhere else,” says Callan.

The sun bear is one example. CWP was the first zoo in the country to successfully breed sun bears in captivity and eventually became one of the largest breeders in the country, providing bears to six major zoos.

“The biggest expansion wasn’t at the zoo; it was beyond the zoo,” says Marshall, describing his grandfather’s impact on the industry.

At a time when zoos often kept their animal-care knowledge closely guarded, Richard took a different approach. When the Hahns discovered successful breeding practices for specific species, he shared that information with other zoos.

That spirit of collaboration eventually led Richard to establish the International Herpetological Symposium, creating a place for zoologists and others in the field to share information and best practices. The symposium continues today.

Of course, with all the successes also come the challenges. “We are self-surviving; whatever comes through that front door is what provides for us,” says Mary Ann.

The Hahns say this has led them to be resourceful, with most of their exhibits being built from repurposed materials, which has a dual purpose of also earning them awards for being a green business.

The Hahns are grateful for the Thurmont community.

“We raised our kids here, we feel safe here, we have lots of friends here.” Says Mary Anne.

They take pride in seeing multiple generations visit the preserve, with grandparents now bringing their grandchildren to the same zoo they visited as children.

Today, Callan and Marshall continue the work Richard and Mary Ann began six decades ago. And while much has changed at Catoctin Wildlife Preserve over the years, one thing remains the same—the Hahn family is still building on what started with a young couple and a dream of working with animals.

The Catoctin Wildlife Preserve is open daily, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, visit their website at www.catoctinwildlifepreserve.com or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.

Pictured from left are Callan Hahn, Mary Anne Hahn, Richard Hahn, and Marshall Hahn.

Kelly Hahn (left) handles a Mountain Lion cub while Father Richard and sister Whitney look on. The family regularly hand-raised preserve animals when the mother could or would not rear them.

Richard Hahn helps introduce son Callan to a young Siamang Gibbon, cradled by Mary Anne Hahn. Daughter Whitney “supervises.” Hahn family members: Marshall, Callan, Richard, Whitney, and Mary Anne at the 2024 Conference. Richard’s work, influence, and contributions to the industry were acknowledged with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Lifetime Achievement Award is given for notable contributions and career dedication to the zoological profession