The Mount Family: A Heart for “Our Zoo”

When Michael and Beth Mount moved back to the Upstate in 2017, the Greenville Zoo quickly became part of their family’s story. Their son Vincent was just two years old, and from the start, he was captivated. “The zoo was a natural place to take Vincent,” Michael recalls. “We all bonded with it quickly. Every night at dinner, he would say, ‘Do you want to talk about the zoo?’ Pretty soon, he started calling it our zoo.”

Those early visits became a weekend ritual. The Mounts loved foggy mornings when the animals were most active and playful. “They always seemed so well cared for and happy,” Michael says. When Beth was expecting their daughter, Ellison, the Zoo’s one-mile path became the perfect outing, and Vincent made a game of taking a picture by the bird height chart almost every week. After Ellie was born, the visits continued, and she quickly fell in love with the animals too.

As the years passed, the Mounts’ relationship with the Zoo deepened. They began supporting fundraising raffles and naming challenges, and one behind-the-scenes tour for Anton the anteater’s birthday sealed their connection. “Vincent and I loved it,” Michael says. “It gave us a whole new appreciation for the care that goes into every animal here.”

Inspired by his grandmother, Charlotte Ruby, who had supported the Los Angeles Zoo, Michael found joy in following her example. “We were so proud the first time we saw our names on the donor board,” he says with a smile. “Even if the first time, it was just mine by accident — we fixed that right away.”

Today, the Mounts are regulars at nearly every Zoo event — from Sippin’ Safari and the Green Tie Gala to Boo in the Zoo, where the whole family dresses up each year. Their favorite memories include feeding Miles the giraffe, meeting Santa at the Holiday Celebration, watching baby giraffes take their first steps, and even a startling moment when Jade the leopard pounced playfully at the fence during a behind-the-scenes visit.

When the opportunity arose to join the Greenville Zoo Foundation Board, Michael didn’t hesitate. “The Zoo has given our family so much joy,” he says. “It’s small enough to feel personal, and we can see the results of our support every time a child smiles at an animal we’ve helped care for. That’s what makes it special.”

Through their generosity, energy, and enthusiasm, the Mount family continues to make “their zoo” a place for every family in Greenville to create memories of their own.