The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore Maryland Zoo News 2025

That looks spectacular! I know this is just a rendering, but I'm most intrigued by what appears to be the original stone shed wall/den of the former tiger cage still in place at the back of the upper yard! So it appears that the upper yard's footprint will essentially be the current Snowy Owl exhibit, with the building existing about where the old Mammal House steps currently sit, and the lower yard at the base of Druid Hill, to the left of the Round Stand.
 
We had a great visit in the snow on Saturday, two of maybe a dozen people there! The noteworthy surprise of the day was baby chimp IVY on exhibit inside Chimpanzee Forest!
 
 
 
Just visited today and I talked to one of the volunteers. He said the red panda habitat is fully funded and ready, just needs one more permit before the ground breaks. The snowy owl wasn’t on the enclosure, despite the cold weather, so that makes me think that the permit could be approved any day now.
Probably also means that the raptor aviaries are also almost done the permit process, but I haven’t asked about it.
 
The State's Budget recently passed and here are the highlights on some projects the Zoo is focusing on over the next few years.

Basic Infrastructure Improvements

$0.6 Million for Planning and Construction to Address Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Regulatory Deficiencies: This project will correct life-safety and animal welfare deficiencies identified by AZA and USDA inspectors to enable the zoo to retain its AZA accreditation and meet USDA standards. The fiscal 2026 funding will be used for both planning and
construction, and the State is estimated to contribute an additional $2.5 million for planning and construction to complete the 100% State-funded total estimated cost of $12.6 million; the State has already committed $9.5 million. The fiscal 2026 projects include construction of an enclosed outdoor structure for flamingos and an upgrade to the walkways of
Maryland Wilderness – one of five main areas of the zoo – and The Farmyard. The outdoor flamingo structure is needed due to animal welfare concerns related to fresh air and sufficient space. USDA began inspecting birds and bird facilities in August 2023 for the first time in the history of the Animal Welfare Act. The walkways upgrade will make the walkways compliant with the Americans with Disability Act by grading the parts of the walkway that already have had erosion issues addressed through infill and other strategies.

$0.58 Million for Design Funds for a New Staff Office Building: In its history, the zoo has not had a building specifically for staff use. Neither the 221-year-old Mansion House nor the Maryland Building, which was designed to be an exhibition hall, were originally
designed for staff. In addition, the offices of three zoo teams are in 12 trailers that no longer meet functional needs. The fiscal 2026 budget includes funding for planning for a new staff building. The design contract was awarded in August 2024. An additional $8.9 million is planned for planning and construction as a future request. The State committed $0.4 million
in fiscal 2024 for planning of this 100% State-funded project, estimated to cost $9.9 million and to be completed by calendar 2030. Of note, the project was estimated to cost $6 million during the 2023 session. Therefore, the estimated total project cost has increased by $3.9 million, or 65%. The zoo notes that the initial estimate was completed before any
design work was performed, a larger building is needed than previously assumed, and construction will likely not start until 2030 due to the need to accumulate funding for the project, which will likely cause additional cost increases due to inflation. Also of note, the proposed building site would require the transfer of some adjacent park property from the
Baltimore City’s Department of Recreation and Parks. The Department of Recreation and Parks has not made an official decision on the request but hopes to soon. The zoo notes that it will reconfigure the building design to fit within its current property lines if the park land is unavailable.

$0.1 Million for Design Funds for a Lower Barn Renovation: The total cost is $0.8 million for this 100% State-funded project. The fiscal 2026 funding will be used for planning, and the $0.7 million future commitment will fund planning and construction. The
funding will be used to convert the building into a reptile and amphibian care and housing facility. The current structure lacks a sewer line connection, insulation, and modern environmental controls.

$1.4 Million to Construct Chimpanzee Forest Interior Renovations: The funding will be used for construction, which will not require any additional funding, and is 100% State-funded. The funding will replace the exhibit glass in the Chimpanzee Interior Forest, part of the African Journey section of the zoo. The current exhibit glass is delaminating, which is causing both safety and aesthetic concerns.

Habitat/Attraction Improvements

$1.17 Million to Construct a New Red Panda Habitat: A new habitat will be constructed for the red panda, which is an endangered species, to advance the zoo’s conservation mission. As of January 2025, the zoo’s website notes that the permits have been approved
for the new red panda habitat and that construction is expected to begin in April 2025. The total cost of the project originally was estimated to be $3.3 million, of which the State’s share is $2.8 million, or 84%. However, construction bids received on February 19, 2025, ranged from $4.7 million to $5.0 million. Therefore, the total project cost is now approximately $5.3 million when accounting for the $0.5 million that was already provided for design by members of the zoo’s Board of Trustees. In fiscal 2026, the zoo intends to contribute an additional $1.5 million in private funds that have been pledged, which can be
used for collateral against a bridge loan to make up the shortfall. In addition, the zoo proposes to shift in fiscal 2027 $0.5 million from its request for the Gibbon Habitat to the Red Panda Habitat to cover the remaining shortfall. Under this new plan, if approved, the total project cost will be $5.3 million, of which the State’s share is $3.3 million, or 62%. The fiscal 2026 funding will be used to continue construction.

$0.9 Million to Construct a New Gibbon Habitat: A new habitat will be constructed near the main entrance. The total cost originally was estimated to be $6.8 million but is now estimated to be approximately $7.5 million. The State provided $0.2 million for design in fiscal 2024, and the future commitment to this project is $5.4 million, assuming that the zoo’s fiscal 2027 funding shift proposal with the Red Panda Habitat is approved and will also be used for construction. As with the Red Panda Habitat, the zoo proposes to contribute in fiscal 2027 $1.0 million in private funding that has been pledged, which can be used for collateral against a bridge loan. Therefore, the State’s share of the project will be
$5.6 million, or 88%. The fiscal 2026 funding will be used to begin construction.
 
 
 
Haliaeetus said:
Birth of a rare Coquerel's Sifaka.
Washington Post climate coverage on Instagram: "An endangered baby lemur was born at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, marking the first birth of the species — a Coquerel’s sifaka — at the facility since 2016, zoo officials announced Thursday. The Coquerel’s sifaka are endangered and found in the wild only on the island of Madagascar, off the southeastern coast of Africa, spending most of their time in treetops in protected forests. They’re different from other lemurs because of the way they move — in a “very, upright posture” that allows them to use their back legs to jump through treetops, according to zoo experts. Read more by tapping the link in our bio."
Click to expand...
She has been called JUNO, after the Roman goddess.
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore on Instagram: "The baby sifaka now bears a name worthy of legend—Juno, after the Roman goddess. Take a peek inside Chimp Forest and you may catch this divine lemur clinging to her mother. #marylandzoo #zoo #animals #newborn #babyanimals #wildlife #sifaka #sifakalemur #lemur #endangeredspecies #endangered #cute"
 
Colobus monkey has been removed from the zoo website. The zoos last colobus monkey, Bisi, is well over 30 years old so I’d assume he has passed away. Does anyone know for sure?

also, what’s the future plan for colobus monkeys at the zoo? They’ve been part of the collection for so long and I hope they will bring them back.
 
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