| The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore |
|
|
|
|
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore (formerly The Baltimore Zoo) is a located in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The Baltimore Zoo was created by act of the Maryland state legislature on April 7, 1876. (Its name was changed to The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore in 2004.) It is the third oldest zoo in the country, behind Philadelphia (1873) and Cincinnati (1874). Today the 160-plus acre zoo property is owned by the City of Baltimore and leased to the State of Maryland.
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore (formerly The Baltimore Zoo) is a located in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The Baltimore Zoo was created by act of the Maryland state legislature on April 7, 1876. (Its name was changed to The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore in 2004.) It is the third oldest zoo in the country, behind Philadelphia (1873) and Cincinnati (1874). Today the 160-plus acre zoo property is owned by the City of Baltimore and leased to the State of Maryland. The Maryland Zoological Society, established in 1967, operates the Zoo under a lease agreement with the state. The Zoological Society assumed full management of the Zoo in 1984. Currently the Zoo’s animal collection encompasses more than 1,500 birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, representing nearly 200 species. Animals are displayed in natural settings replicating their native habitats. 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. Until the 1980s, it remained one of America's smallest and dingiest zoos; massive renovation projects in the 1990s, however, have turned the zoo into a larger and much more attractive facility. 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 reptiles, as well as gibbons and snow leopards were sent on loan to other zoos and aquariums. 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. Polar Bear Watch, the Zoo's new state-of-the-art exhibit about life on the edge of the Arctic, features an authentic Tundra Buggy® from which visitors can watch Alaska and Magnet cavort in and out of the water. At our camel ride exhibit, visitors get up close and personal with our favorite humped animals. Be sure to take a ride on the back of one of these incredible creatures. Visitors learn about animals in their own backyard, as well as those in more exotic locales, when they take a trek through the Maryland Wilderness , home to the award-winning Children's Zoo, or embark on an African Journey. |
