County Zoo Plans to Live Up to Its Name : Nature: Major new exhibits would focus on animals native to the area, such as eagles and cougars, instead of zebras or tigers.

Supporters of the Orange County Zoo kicked off an ambitious campaign on Wednesday to transform the small zoo into a major attraction displaying cougars, golden eagles and other local wildlife in a simulated natural setting.

The Zoological Society of Orange County envisions major new exhibits at the zoo, focusing on animals indigenous to the area instead of the usual zebras, tigers and other exotic species found at most zoos.

“Our goal is to exhibit Southwestern animals in as close to a natural habitat as possible to educate schoolchildren and others about Orange County flora and fauna,” said Dr. Lawrence Kosmin, a veterinarian in Orange who is president of the 300-member Zoological Society. “We don’t just want animals in a cage. We want it close to nature. We’re there to be a natural museum.”

Much of the expansion plan, which would triple the size of the two-acre county zoo and cost around $600,000, depends on whether volunteers can persuade local corporations and private citizens to donate to the cause. The zoo is in Irvine Regional Park, on Chapman Avenue in Orange.

“If we can complete the zoo the way we envision, it should become a real attraction,” Kosmin said. “People here to see Disneyland and the beach could hear we have a great zoo and spend an extra day here. It could be a shot in the arm for the Orange County economy.”

This summer, half of the county zoo’s existing exhibit for wolves will be remodeled into habitat for cougars, using about $15,000 in donations already collected.

Then, if another $15,000 can be raised, the other half of the wolf exhibit will be turned into a roofed area for golden eagles, complete with native plants, simulated nests and artificial cliffs.

The centerpiece of the proposed expansion would be a large fenced aviary for aquatic birds, including a man-made freshwater lake and waterfalls. Zoo officials also hope to begin a federally approved breeding program for endangered bald eagles.

The aviary would take a year to construct and cost more than half a million dollars, all of which would have to come from private or corporate donors since the county has no funds available.

The Zoological Society kicked off its fund-raising campaign Wednesday night with a cocktail party in Irvine seeking corporate donors.

The star of the show was a golden eagle, the zoo’s newest addition.

The huge, aggressive bird of prey was picked up from a Simi Valley animal rehabilitation center on Wednesday and brought to its new home in Orange County. The two-foot-tall eagle, which was found with a permanently injured wing and unable to fly, will reside in a temporary spot at the zoo until the planned eagle aviary is complete.

“Most people who come to zoos don’t have a chance to see an animal like this in the wild,” said Orange County Zoo curator Forrest DeSpain. “When you see an eagle up close, you get a full appreciation of how majestic it really is.”

The county zoo won’t house the popular, exotic animals such as giraffes and polar bears found at the large Los Angeles and San Diego zoos. It has a far different mission: letting Southern Californians experience and learn about the wild animals that share their own home.

“People who are more interested in learning than being entertained would like it,” said Robert Fisher, director of the county Harbors, Beaches and Parks Department, which operates the zoo and designed the expansion plans. “We can’t compete with lions and monkeys, but more serious types would gain from this. It’s critical especially for schoolchildren to learn about the area’s resources.”

County Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez on Wednesday urged local corporations to donate to the expansion, saying the zoo “benefits everyone in Orange County.” More than 350,000 people visit it every year.

Zoo volunteers have lined up $1,200 from American Express, $4,000 from a local family trust and $5,000 from British Petroleum, the company whose crude oil fouled Orange County’s coastline in a 1990 tanker spill.

“As with anything, the funds will determine what we do,” said Darlene Mitcheltree, docent leader at the zoo. “I am very confident because, even though we are in a recession, people are very ecology-minded right now. The zoo and the whole Irvine Park is a very ecologically sound environment, so I think people will really come through for us.”

Like the newly arrived golden eagle, all animals housed at the zoo cannot be released in the wild because they were injured, their habitat is gone or, in the case of cougars, they are removed for public safety reasons. If the animals weren’t at the zoo, most would have to be euthanized since they are unable to care for themselves.

“The cougars we would be taking in would be ones that otherwise would be destroyed,” Kosmin said. “With all our animals, there is a reason why they can’t be in the wild.”

Among the zoo’s current inhabitants are 33 species, including bobcats, hawks, coyotes, raccoons, road runners, deer, a wolf, several brown pelicans that were injured during the oil spill, and a pair of red foxes that were captured from their den on a stretch of the Costa Mesa Freeway that was undergoing construction.

The zoo originally had a large exhibit of gray wolves borrowed from the Los Angeles Zoo. All but one of the wolves have aged and died, and replacing them is unlikely since they are an endangered species that has been nearly wiped out from the United States. Since the lone wolf doesn’t need much space, half of its space will be transformed into a cougar exhibit. When the aging animal dies, the rest of the area can be turned into the eagle aviary.

County officials said the Orange County Zoo will not compete with the Santa Ana Zoo, which is known for its monkeys.

“If you want to see exotic South American animals, you go to the Santa Ana Zoo,” Fisher said. “If you want to see natives, you come to us.”