A pair of cheetahs will leave the zoo, while another pair will take their place. Maryland Zoo Welcomes 2 New Cheetahs
A new male chimp arrived at the zoo. https://www.wbaltv.com/article/maryland-zoo-new-chimpanzee/27470765
I have added new photos from the member's preview of African Journey. I will give my insight on it tomorrow, but from a visitor's point of view, especially one of an amateur photographer, there are some sore eyes areas.
Thanks for the photos! We were going to go there today but everything said it was going to rain, so we went to the aquarium instead. That giraffe fencing is awful, and the double netting with the lions looks annoying, as well.
Thoughts on the renovations in African Journey: Elephant Exhibit - for the welfare of the animals, this is definitely an improvement, including more space. Looking at the new yards, I was in shock thinking how small of an area that they used to have and why I probably avoiding seeing them a lot. The section has three yards that can be opened or separated by doors. The original yard has very little changes besides the new shading structure and high hay feeder. One improvement that I wish they would have done here is change the pool so it looked more natural. The transition yard is the smallest, but it is on a slope, which helps the elephants with exercise. The new yard covers the area where the old African penguin exhibit used to be. It has a shading structure and high hay feeder. There's also a mud wallow. The biggest eyesore are the trailers right behind the exhibit. Looking at my photos, I notice small trees planted behind the back fencing and we can only hope they will grow quick! There are two levels of platforms to get up close to the elephants. One goes in between the transitional yard and new yard. It currently looks like the bull yard is under renovation, as well as his section in the barn. However, the male elephant is benefitting from this as he's in the new yard and definitely looks like he's benefitting from the new enrichment. Giraffe Exhibit - this is the one area where I think the improvements hinder the viewing opportunities for the guests. The trail that used to go around the long yard is no more. The walking trail is further down now where the new elephant exhibit is located. Instead, you can view that exhibit from the feeding station area or from the side with the new lion viewing are on the other side. The yard closest to the giraffe house has been expanded out, but the mesh is terrible if you want to take natural photos of the giraffes. I've never seen mesh fencing so high on a giraffe exhibit before. The whole reason behind this renovation was to level out the yards for better movements for the giraffes. The ground does look more leveled. Because of this I feel like the long yard was condensed in, but I could be mistaken. One nice feature, that hasn't been tried out yet is the giraffes can transition into the new elephant yard. I imagine they will probably only be in there when the elephants are not. But, maybe we'll be surprised and they will be like Dallas Zoo's Giants of the Savannah. Lion Exhibit - this area does allow more viewing opportunities from the previous three windows in the formal front section of the exhibit. Now those windows face the back and the front is the area with new mesh and glass windows for guests to look in. There is a training wall as well before the window viewing area. The big cats definitely have hiding spots if they want privacy. It's a challenge for photographers, but it's not a distance to move from the front to back of the exhibit.
Maryland Zoo CEO, Don Hutchinson will retire in 2020 after a complete turn around of the campus and the creation of numerous exhibits including the award winning Penguin Coast and the recently opened African Journey renovation. He'll oversee the partial renovation of Chimpanzee Forest before his departure in June. https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimo...-zoos-hutchinson-to-retire-from-ceo-post.html
First phase will be cosmetic renovations to the exterior of the building including new windows, siding, and doors. Second phase will include a replacement of the chimp's outdoor steel mesh. The paint is chipping and there are vulnerabilities where guests can potentially interact with the animals. Viewing will be improved and a new climbing, jungle gym will be constructed in the middle. Additionally, an out door exhibit for the colobus monkeys will be conducted and include a small trail network, similar to Philly Zoo's Zoo360 exhibit. After this, the African Journey exhibit will have finished major construction projects in that section of the zoo and sights will be turned towards a face lift of Maryland Wilderness.
Here's what I learned/did when I went to my keeper-in-training program at Maryland Zoo: Camilla the diamondback terrapin passed away There are two new chinchillas named Sassafras and Applesauce Picasso the painted turtle passed away The Ranger's toad who hitchhiked in a shoe is named Rick I got to pet the Kune Kune pigs. They have a small-spotted genet named Janet who was formerly a pet. I got to clean cages and provide enrichment for the animals with keepers. Tarrin the ball python passed away and he was VERY old. Monty the blood python died as well Hope, an ambassador penguin, died. Hickory and Mesquite, the smoky jungle frogs, went to another zoo. Two penguin chicks named Sally and Olive are now in Embassy. Trumpet the keel-billed toucan went to Dallas. Pellet the screech-owl passed away. Two ducks that retired from exhibit were Connie the red-crested pochard and Blanche the wood duck are in Embassy. There is a new Dumeril's boa in Embassy named Nebula. Eunice the sheep passed away. Luna the arctic fox passed away. The baby chimp is named Lola. Lily, Sprout, and Kal the goats passed away. I would DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THE KEEPER-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM!!!!!
A blue duiker was born at the end of July The Maryland Zoo Welcomes Baby Blue Duiker | The Maryland Zoo
