The Maryland Zoo
Encyclopedia
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore (formerly The Baltimore Zoo) is a zoo
located in Druid Hill Park
in Baltimore, Maryland. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA). Home to over 2,000 animals, the zoo
is generally considered to be the third oldest zoological park in the United States, having opened in 1876. In 2004, the zoo was struck by financial problems and was forced to reduce its collection size by closing parts of the zoo. The Main Valley was closed due to its age, being incapable of holding animals comfortably, and the Reptile House was closed. The reptile
s, as well as gibbon
s and snow leopard
s were sent on loan to other zoos and aquariums. In 2008, the zoo was featured in America's Best Zoos 2008.
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is active in many conservation programs, notably the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Program and Project Golden Frog; it is the zoo that breeds the greatest number of African black footed penguins
. It also helps rehabilitate local wildlife, especially birds of prey such as bald eagles.
.
Such exhibits include:
The zoo features a feeding station where guests may interact with the zoo's three Reticulated Giraffes by feeding them for a small fee.
In March 2006, the Maryland Zoo announced it would be accepting three female African elephants from the Philadelphia Zoo
as part of an expanded elephant exhibit. However, the Maryland Zoo has since delayed construction on the elephant habitat, and will thus not be accepting the elephants from Philadelphia. On March 19, 2008, Felix, one of the zoo's female elephants, gave birth to a 290-pound male calf, the first elephant born in the zoo's history. The baby is named Samson and is now viewable, weather permitting.
In the spring of 2010, the zoo's warthogs had two male offspring, which were viewable beginning in May of that year.
s swim over their heads, jump across lily pads, explore a cave, or climb into giant bird nests.
The Maryland Wilderness featuring The Children's Zoo is dedicated to Lyn P. Meyerhoff.
A zoo train operated as recently as 2005, with a replacement train under construction as of early 2010.
s named Magnet, Alaska, and Anoki, as well as Raven
s, Snowy Owl
s, and Arctic Foxes
. Guests can view bears from underwater viewing areas, or from the windows of an actual massive Tundra Buggy
, purchased from the Canadian company that creates these one of kind vehicles for viewing Polar Bears in their natural habitat.
Magnet won a contest put forth by Microsoft's Zoo Tycoon for best zoo animal. Magnet was available as a downloadable patch for the game and during the game, polar bears purchased via the Magnet icon would play with a red ball.
, Egyptian Tortoise, Painted Turtle
, Box Turtle
, Diamondback Terrapin
, Corn Snake
, Blue and Gold Macaw, African Gray Parrot, Indian Runner Duck
, and Eastern Screech Owl
, among many others.
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
located in Druid Hill Park
Druid Hill Park
Druid Hill Park is a urban park in northwest Baltimore, Maryland. Its boundaries are marked by Druid Park Drive , Swann Drive and Reisterstown Road , and the Jones Falls Expressway...
in Baltimore, Maryland. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums was founded in 1924 and is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation.The AZA headquarters is located in Silver...
(AZA). Home to over 2,000 animals, the zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
is generally considered to be the third oldest zoological park in the United States, having opened in 1876. In 2004, the zoo was struck by financial problems and was forced to reduce its collection size by closing parts of the zoo. The Main Valley was closed due to its age, being incapable of holding animals comfortably, and the Reptile House was closed. The reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s, as well as gibbon
Gibbon
Gibbons are apes in the family Hylobatidae . The family is divided into four genera based on their diploid chromosome number: Hylobates , Hoolock , Nomascus , and Symphalangus . The extinct Bunopithecus sericus is a gibbon or gibbon-like ape which, until recently, was thought to be closely related...
s and snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s were sent on loan to other zoos and aquariums. In 2008, the zoo was featured in America's Best Zoos 2008.
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is active in many conservation programs, notably the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Program and Project Golden Frog; it is the zoo that breeds the greatest number of African black footed penguins
African Penguin
The African Penguin , also known as the Black-footed Penguin is a species of penguin, confined to southern African waters. It is known as Brilpikkewyn in Afrikaans, Inguza or Unombombiya in Xhosa, Manchot Du Cap in French and Pingüino Del Cabo in Spanish...
. It also helps rehabilitate local wildlife, especially birds of prey such as bald eagles.
African Journey
The largest area of the zoo, the African journey displays a wide range of animals originating from AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
Such exhibits include:
- Lappet-faced VultureLappet-faced VultureThe Lappet-faced Vulture or Nubian Vulture is a mostly African Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus Torgos. A distinct subspecies T. t. negevensis occurs in the Sinai, the Negev...
, Cranes (Black CrownedBlack Crowned CraneThe Black Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It was once called also Kaffir Crane.It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although in nests in somewhat wetter habitats. There are two subspecies: B. p. pavonina in the west and the more numerous B. p...
and DemoiselleDemoiselle CraneThe Demoiselle Crane, Anthropoides virgo, is a species of crane that breeds in Central Asia and winters in India, with a few found in Cyprus and eastern Turkey as well. The crane annually migrates to Africa and South Asia in winter...
), White StorkWhite StorkThe White Stork is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to end of tail, with a wingspan...
, Ground HornbillAbyssinian Ground-hornbillThe Abyssinian Ground Hornbill or Northern Ground Hornbill, Bucorvus abyssinicus, is one of two species of ground hornbill. The other is the Southern Ground Hornbill....
and SitatungaSitatungaThe situtunga or marshbuck is a swamp-dwelling antelope found throughout Central Africa, centering on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon and parts of Southern Sudan as well as in Ghana, Botswana, Zambia, Gabon, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.-Description:Situtunga stand about one and a... - African Crested Porcupine
- African Watering Hole: Dama GazelleDama GazelleThe Dama Gazelle is a species of gazelle. It lives in Africa in the Sahara desert and migrates south in search of food during the dry season. Their habitat includes open steppes, bushy, grassy steppes, semi-desert, and deserts, while their diet includes grasses, leaves, shoots, fruit, and...
, Saddle-billed StorkSaddle-billed StorkThe Saddle-billed Stork is a large wading bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. It is a widespread species which is a resident breeder in sub-Saharan Africa from Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya south to South Africa, and in The Gambia, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Chad in west Africa.This is a close...
, Helmeted GuineafowlHelmeted GuineafowlThe Helmeted Guineafowl is the best known of the guineafowl bird family, Numididae, and the only member of the genus Numida...
, White RhinocerosWhite RhinocerosThe White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros is one of the five species of rhinoceros that still exist. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species...
, Plains ZebraPlains ZebraThe plains zebra , also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra, is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. It ranges from the south of Ethiopia through East Africa to as far south as Angola and eastern South Africa...
, and OstrichOstrichThe Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a... - Spur-thighed Tortoise
- African Aviary
- LeopardLeopardThe leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
- CheetahCheetahThe cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
- WarthogWarthogThe Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...
- Kirk's Dik-dikKirk's Dik-dikKirk's Dik-dik is a small antelope found in eastern and southwestern Africa. It grows to in length and weighs up to when full grown. It has a reddish-brown head and a tail that is long....
- Vulturine GuineafowlVulturine GuineafowlThe Vulturine Guineafowl is the largest extant guineafowl species.Systematically, Acryllium are only distantly related to other guineafowl genera. Their closest living relative, the White Breasted Guineafowl, Agelastes meleagrides inhabit primary forests in Central Africa. bird family,...
- Chimpanzee Forest: ChimpanzeeChimpanzeeChimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
, Colobus Monkey, Rock Hyrax, Coquerel's SifakaCoquerel's SifakaCoquerel's sifaka is a medium-sized lemur of the sifaka genus Propithecus. Like all lemurs, it is endemic to Madagascar.-Description:...
, and Slender-snouted CrocodileSlender-snouted CrocodileThe African Slender-snouted Crocodile is a species of crocodile. Recent studies in DNA and morphology suggest that it may belong in its own genus, Mecistops, but at present most continue to use Crocodylus for this species.African Slender-snouted Crocodile are native to freshwater habitats in...
. - Red Ruffed LemurRed Ruffed LemurThe red ruffed lemur is one of two species in the genus Varecia, the ruffed lemurs; the other is the black-and-white ruffed lemur . Like all lemurs, it is native to Madagascar and occurs only in the rainforests of Masoala, in the northeast of the island...
- LionLionThe lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
- GiraffeGiraffeThe giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
House & OkapiOkapiThe okapi , Okapia johnstoni, is a giraffid artiodactyl mammal native to the Ituri Rainforest, located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Central Africa... - Rock Island: African black-footed penguinAfrican PenguinThe African Penguin , also known as the Black-footed Penguin is a species of penguin, confined to southern African waters. It is known as Brilpikkewyn in Afrikaans, Inguza or Unombombiya in Xhosa, Manchot Du Cap in French and Pingüino Del Cabo in Spanish...
, CormorantCormorantThe bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :... - African Elephant
- CamelCamelA camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
Rides
The zoo features a feeding station where guests may interact with the zoo's three Reticulated Giraffes by feeding them for a small fee.
In March 2006, the Maryland Zoo announced it would be accepting three female African elephants from the Philadelphia Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, was the first zoo in the United States. Chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 21, 1859, its opening was delayed by the American Civil War until July 1, 1874...
as part of an expanded elephant exhibit. However, the Maryland Zoo has since delayed construction on the elephant habitat, and will thus not be accepting the elephants from Philadelphia. On March 19, 2008, Felix, one of the zoo's female elephants, gave birth to a 290-pound male calf, the first elephant born in the zoo's history. The baby is named Samson and is now viewable, weather permitting.
In the spring of 2010, the zoo's warthogs had two male offspring, which were viewable beginning in May of that year.
Maryland Wilderness featuring The Children's Zoo
Displaying animals found in Maryland, visitors can watch otterOtter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s swim over their heads, jump across lily pads, explore a cave, or climb into giant bird nests.
- The Bog: features the Bog TurtleBog turtleThe bog turtle is a semiaquatic turtle endemic to the eastern United States. It was first scientifically described in 1801 after an 18th century survey of Pennsylvania. It is the smallest North American turtle, measuring about long when fully grown...
, an endangered species. - Marsh Aviary & Lily Pads: surrounds a man-made stream featuring many species of ducks and other Maryland birds.
- The Stream: includes river otters and red foxRed FoxThe red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
. You can visit a submerged archway, and watch as otters swim overhead. - The Cave: a beautifully sculpted life-size model of a cave, featuring more than a dozen small exhibits including snakeSnakeSnakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s, batBatBats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s, and newts. - Giant Tree & Slide: features many native reptiles and amphibians animals, mainly snakeSnakeSnakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s. The slide is a fun way for kids to get back to the ground. - Meadow: has animals such as box turtles and American toadAmerican toadThe American Toad is a common species of toad found throughout the eastern United States and Canada. It is divided into three subspecies—the Eastern American Toad , the Dwarf American Toad , and the rare Hudson Bay Toad...
s. Kids can poke their heads in large bubble-like windows coming out of the ground. - The Farmyard: features a variety of rare domestic breeds that can be touched; the highlight is a petting area of friendly African pygmy goatPygmy goatA pygmy goat is a small breed of domestic goat. Although they produce a very large amount of milk for their size, and can be eaten, pygmy goats are not typically used for milk or meat, unlike larger dairy and meat goat breeds. Pygmy goats tend to be more robust and breed more continually throughout...
s and Nubian goats called "The Kid Zone" because young goats are called kids and it also attracts children. Other animals included in the section include Jacob SheepJacob (sheep)The Jacob sheep is a rare breed of small, piebald , polycerate sheep. Jacobs may have from two to six horns, but most commonly have four. The most common color is black and white, but they may also be blue and white or lilac and white in coloring. Jacobs are usually raised for their wool, meat,...
, DonkeyDonkeyThe donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
, Barn OwlBarn OwlThe Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is also referred to as Common Barn Owl, to distinguish it from other species in the barn-owl family Tytonidae. These form one of two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical...
, ChickenChickenThe chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
, GeeseAnser (genus)The waterfowl genus Anser includes all grey geese and sometimes the white geese. It belongs to the true geese and swan subfamily . The genus has a Holarctic distribution, with at least one species breeding in any open, wet habitats in the subarctic and cool temperate regions of the Northern...
, PigPigA pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
, and Dexter CattleDexter cattleDexter cattle are the smallest of the European cattle breeds, being about half the size of a traditional Hereford and about one third the size of a Friesian milking cow. They were considered a rare breed of cattle, until recently, but are now considered a recovering breed by the American Livestock...
.
The Maryland Wilderness featuring The Children's Zoo is dedicated to Lyn P. Meyerhoff.
A zoo train operated as recently as 2005, with a replacement train under construction as of early 2010.
Polar Bear Watch
The Polar Bear Watch features polar bearPolar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
s named Magnet, Alaska, and Anoki, as well as Raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
s, Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl
The Snowy Owl is a large owl of the typical owl family Strigidae. The Snowy Owl was first classified in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, the Swedish naturalist who developed binomial nomenclature to classify and organize plants and animals. The bird is also known in North America as the Arctic Owl, Great...
s, and Arctic Foxes
Arctic fox
The arctic fox , also known as the white fox, polar fox or snow fox, is a small fox native to Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. The Greek word alopex, means a fox and Vulpes is the Latin version...
. Guests can view bears from underwater viewing areas, or from the windows of an actual massive Tundra Buggy
Tundra buggy
A Tundra Buggy is an all-terrain vehicle built and used by Frontiers North Adventures as a wildlife viewing vehicle for photographing and observing polar bears and other Arctic wildlife outside of Churchill, Manitoba in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area and Wapusk National Park in northern...
, purchased from the Canadian company that creates these one of kind vehicles for viewing Polar Bears in their natural habitat.
Magnet won a contest put forth by Microsoft's Zoo Tycoon for best zoo animal. Magnet was available as a downloadable patch for the game and during the game, polar bears purchased via the Magnet icon would play with a red ball.
Base Camp Discovery
Base Camp Discovery is located between the Polar Bear Watch and the African Journey. There, educational activities and various animal ambassadors are presented by zoo educators. Animals that are often shown at Base Camp Discovery include the Boa ConstrictorBoa constrictor
The Boa constrictor is a large, heavy-bodied species of snake. It is a member of the family Boidae found in North, Central, and South America, as well as some islands in the Caribbean. A staple of private collections and public displays, its color pattern is highly variable yet distinctive...
, Egyptian Tortoise, Painted Turtle
Painted Turtle
The painted turtle is the most widespread native turtle of North America. It lives in slow-moving fresh waters, from southern Canada to Louisiana and northern Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The turtle is the only species of the genus Chrysemys, which is part of the pond turtle...
, Box Turtle
Box turtle
The box turtle , or box tortoise is a genus of turtle native to North America . The 12 taxa which are distinguished in the genus are distributed over four species. It is largely characterized by having a domed shell, which is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to close its shell tightly to...
, Diamondback Terrapin
Diamondback terrapin
The diamondback terrapin or simply terrapin, is a species of turtle native to the brackish coastal swamps of the eastern and southern United States. It belongs to the monotypic genus, Malaclemys...
, Corn Snake
Corn Snake
The Corn Snake , or Red Rat Snake, is a North American species of Rat Snake that subdues its small prey by constriction. The name "Corn Snake" is a holdover from the days when southern farmers stored harvested ears of corn in a wood frame or log building called a crib...
, Blue and Gold Macaw, African Gray Parrot, Indian Runner Duck
Indian Runner Duck
Indian Runners are an unusual breed of domestic duck. They stand erect like penguins and, rather than waddling, they run. The females usually lay about 150 – 200 eggs a year or more, depending whether they are from exhibition or utility strains...
, and Eastern Screech Owl
Eastern Screech Owl
The Eastern Screech Owl or Eastern Screech-Owl is a small owl that is relatively common in Eastern North America, from Mexico to Canada.-Description:...
, among many others.