Does the Maryland Zoo have any plans for new exhibits on the horizon? Other than the polar bears, the Africa zone, and the children's zoo is most of the zoo still empty space and abandoned exhibits awaiting development?
"Construct improvements to the aging infrastructure at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. The Zoo has identified a variety of projects that have been grouped into two categories: exhibits/attractions improvements and compliance with Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) guidelines. The Zoo will use $1,000,000 to upgrade and expand the giraffe and lion exhibits to allow for the safety of the giraffe herd and to appropriately accommodate the lion pride. The FY 2018 budget also includes $1,050,000 to renovate the old Rock Island exhibit and make it part of the elephant exhibit expansion, $750,000 for improvements to the elephant exhibit, $400,000 to correct life safety and animal welfare deficiencies, $200,000 for parking lot renovations,and $100,000 to renovate the exterior of the chimpanzee forest." It's on page 168 (page 202 of the PDF) in this document. http://dbm.maryland.gov/budget/Documents/capbudget/FY2018CapitalBudgetBook.pdf However what I posted pretty much all it says.
Thanks, Andrew. It sounds like they are repairing and maintaining their existing facility which is obviously essential before they start expanding again.
Oh the parking lot definitely needs improvement so I am glad to hear money is going towards that project. One of the old hoofstock yards has a banner on its holding area building that says something like, "Learning Center". There are also wood made benches in front of it. I assume this area is used to for camps and other education programs now.
The problem with the Zoo's parking lot is that the lot is under the City Parks jurisdiction which complicates who pays for the renovation. Also on the docket is an expanded Leopard holding and a boardwalk extension between the Leopard and Cheetah exhibits. The Giraffe and Lion exhibits will be renovated together and calls for an expanded lion holding and resurfaced, flattened giraffe yard. A new boardwalk will be constructed between the lion and giraffe exhibits to allow visitors a better view of the growing giraffe herd and lion pride (including viewing the lion exhibit across the moat). The expanded elephant exhibit will absorb the current camel yard and utilise Rock Island's rocks as a central "island" to use as enrichment nooks for the elephants to explore. I'd imagine plans may still change depending on how salvageable the old exhibit really is.
And another article about the new Giraffe-calf : Giraffe Calf Takes Baby Steps Toward a Healthy Future
Giraffe calf Julius has died. His situation went from critical to dire over the past few days and he just couldn't pull through and the decision was made to put him down. Baby Giraffe at Maryland Zoo Dies
Two new arrivals: a male sitatunga named Jabari, and Hodor, a male warthog. Maryland Zoo welcomes new animals to African Journey exhibit
According to the zoo's member magazine, Anoki, the female polar bear was artificially inseminated in February. The sperm donor was not specified. I am curious if having rambunctious grizzlies in the same holding building is going to disrupt her while denning.
Link for the site plans for the new Lion/Giraffe Project and the African Elephant Project. The documents are quite large and tend to be a little difficult to go through, so I'll give a little synopsis. Construction for both projects are to start in Spring 2018 and open in phases with a completion in Summer/ Winter 2019. Additionally, the Chimpanzee Forest will also be renovated to include a new outdoor "cage" to included better viewing windows and a more open outdoor exhibit. When completed, all four new exhibits will completely transform one of the older sections of the zoo and really complement the rest of the terrific African Journey. DatAnywhere The Lion/Giraffe Project will include a complete re-do of both exhibit yards, including a massive, continuous giraffe yard. The lion exhibit will also be completely renovated - removing the telephone pole fencing and turning the exhibit into a more open, kopje type exhibit complete with hidden viewing areas, viewing shelters, and keeper demonstration areas. Additionally, an expanded holding area will be constructed above ground between the historic giraffe house and the new exhibit. The new holding will also include off exhibit yards. Visitor viewing will encompass a majority of the exhibit to include views of the lions on one side and giraffe on the other. The giraffe exhibit will also be revamped - the only exception being the historic giraffe house, the Giraffe Feeding Station, and the okapi exhibit side. The current main exhibit yard, split in two to better manage the herd, will be combined, leveled, and expanded down the the main service road, absorbing the current visitor pathway from the Giraffe Feeding Station to the Giraffe House. Additionally, and most exciting, the main exhibit yard will be connected to the future Elephant Flex habitat. Whether or not the zoo plans the exhibit both species together, it'll be exciting to have two large giraffe exhibits and have the flexibility to do so if they so choose. The African Elephant Project will also redo the entire area. The current yards and pools will remain for the most part unchanged with some slight modifications. The additions include a larger holding area and a brand new bull elephant quarters. A forest side exhibit (currently the bull yard) will expand slightly, the current main exhibit yard will be expanded up the edge of the current camel yard and be named savannah exhibit, a transition area named savannah passage will join the new savannah exhibit to the flex exhibit. The savannah passage will be a graded mini trek and link the lower exhibit yards to the higher elevation flex exhibit. The flex exhibit (mentioned above in the giraffe project) will absorb the current camel exhibit and the now empty Rock Island exhibit and will join up with the main giraffe exhibit. In total, the elephant exhibit will be 5.5 acres total.
Female giraffe Juma, mother to 9-month-old Willow, has died. Giraffe dies at Maryland Zoo, making it the second in five months
My sympathies go out to the giraffe team. What a rough year for them. At least they had some joy with Willow's birth.
