The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore Maryland Zoo News 2025

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.
I talked to a keeper a while ago and at the time she said that they were going to focus on having larger groups of primates as opposed to more species. Sadly the ring failed lemurs and colobus monkeys both got the axe, at least for right now. They may return, with the recent renovations to the chimpanzee forest, the behind the scenes capacity should allow for more monkeys, lemurs, etc.
 
I visited Friday, and there isn't much news.
- The red panda habitat hasn't really broken ground at all yet, but that's to be expected. There were some people inspecting the back of the old tiger cage, and the snowy owls were no longer there, so it's something.
- The baby giraffe is available to be seen for a price, but it can still be viewed by the public.
- The baby swans are available to be seen for free, and they are very small and very adorable.
- The Marsh Aviary is semi-opened. A small bit of the path is open, but most of the aviary is still off-limits. Most of the birds also seem to not be in there, as I didn't see the turkey vulture or some of the ducks in there at all.
- It's extremely hot and not fun. This isn't news, it's just so bad it's not too fun to walk around.
 
After taking a two-week Zoo Trip from Tampa back up home again in July, we finally made it back to the MD Zoo today. Most of Main Valley is closed again with lots of signs of construction, but nothing actually, visibly, occurring yet. The path veers you to the opposite side of the Crane Barn, behind the Mansion House. All birds are still on exhibit and, as mentioned above, there is mesh overtop the Lappet-faced vulture yard however, it looked like there were far more climbing structures etc. in the yard than the vultures would ever use. It led me to wonder if this was in preparation of red pandas potentially arriving before construction on their space is complete. Pure speculation on my part, vultures will still in the yard.

I was also very disappointed to see one of the oldest trees on property gone, behind the mansion house. It sure looks like it was in the way of construction, but perhaps it took on damage from a storm? Very disappointing either way. Speaking of disappointing, the North American aviary was finally re-opened, with only one way in and out, noticeably less birds, and no more lily pads!

However, highlights included catching the Possum keeper chat upstairs in the old barn-owl space, watching a summer camp partake in Sofiya the leopard's training, and watching Tuffy and Sampson enjoying their pool!
 
I'd say ground has broken now, with the destruction of the old tiger cage on Main Valley as work progresses for red panda today! This leaves just the Round Cage and Crane Barn as the remaining relics in the upper valley and original site of the little old "Druid Hill Park Zoo".

There's still a few other relics in the Valley - the Stone Shed behind prairie dogs and the Round Stand near the new pandas which looks like could be a new concession stand according to their plans. And of course the Elephant house too
 
There's still a few other relics in the Valley - the Stone Shed behind prairie dogs and the Round Stand near the new pandas which looks like could be a new concession stand according to their plans. And of course the Elephant house too

Yes, I was just referring to the upper valley which, at least in my mind, is the original stretch directly behind the Mansion House from the nineteenth century. The Round Stand predates the zoo entirely.
 
Found myself back again this afternoon! Only noticeable difference was, once again, the Aviary in the Children's Zoo is entirely closed. I saw every animal on exhibit (including baby giraffe, Titali) except for Sofiya the Amur Leopard (no surprise there). Highlights included an incredibly active afternoon with the chimps, both grizzly sisters exploring the former underwater portion of the polar bear habitat, and Oscar the porcupine zooming all over his enclosure!
 
Hi king time watcher first time commenter. I frequent here a lot and I want to see the blue duiker. But I have had no luck i only ever see the cranes. Is their a good time of day to see them?
 
Hi king time watcher first time commenter. I frequent here a lot and I want to see the blue duiker. But I have had no luck i only ever see the cranes. Is their a good time of day to see them?
I mean, they're very small and shy animals in a grassy habitat. Like the dik-diks before them, usually it's a matter of luck instead of ideal times of day.
 
Visited the zoo recently and the red panda exhibit construction is in full swing - lots of demo and boring occuring

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Additionally, I came across the schematic designs for the gibbon exhibit which can be found here: Gibbon Exhibit Building and Habitat | dMas Gibbon Exhibit Building and Habitat | dMas

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Wow! Very Cool! I'm having a hard time picturing a building of that size fitting on Main Valley with the Crane Barn, Mansion House, Red Pandas, and Round Stand all where they currently are. In the initial master plan from a few years ago, it looked like this would be sort of in front of the crane barn, rough where the old snow leopard cage was and sort of stretching out to the old tram loop, but it's very hard to tell exactly where this is in the footprint of the valley here. I do see the completion date reads "Spring 2027"!
 
Wow! Very Cool! I'm having a hard time picturing a building of that size fitting on Main Valley with the Crane Barn, Mansion House, Red Pandas, and Round Stand all where they currently are. In the initial master plan from a few years ago, it looked like this would be sort of in front of the crane barn, rough where the old snow leopard cage was and sort of stretching out to the old tram loop, but it's very hard to tell exactly where this is in the footprint of the valley here. I do see the completion date reads "Spring 2027"!

Correct, according to this schematic, the building would be angled between the Crane Barn and Stone Shed where the old main valley path started. The gibbon island would absorb the current large hornbill yard to the former team stop. If you know where the three largest threes are in upper valley - one by prairie dog, one by the corner of hornbill hard, and one by the corner of Crane Barn - you can see them oriented on the plans as well.
 
Some updates from my visit today:
- The chicken coop, turned guinea fowl exhibit in the barnyard has been completely demolished.
- The viewing deck for the trumpeter swan family is closed off due to structural issues.
- The lineup of the main valley bird exhibits has changed. The crowned cranes have moved back to the blue duiker exhibit, while the saddle billed stork is no longer present. One pair still remains in the sitatunga swamp, but I’m guessing the original animal passed away, he was really old.
- The southern ground hornbills are still not on exhibit, and only visible through the fences behind the sitatunga yard.
- 3/4 rotating yards in the crane barn had northern ground hornbills.

And then the HIGHLIGHT of my trip
- The 4th yard in the crane barn, which houses the zoo’s peafowl pair was home to a reeve’s muntjac deer as well! Very exciting considering the developments of the red panda and gibbon exhibits nearby. Hopefully this is the start of a nice little Asian theme in the main valley!
 
And then the HIGHLIGHT of my trip
- The 4th yard in the crane barn, which houses the zoo’s peafowl pair was home to a reeve’s muntjac deer as well! Very exciting considering the developments of the red panda and gibbon exhibits nearby. Hopefully this is the start of a nice little Asian theme in the main valley!

Looks like Campbell will take up residency with the red pandas once compete next year.
 
Other 2025 News Not Mentioned:
On August 9th, the zoo announced a (0.1f) domestic goat (breed not specified) named Midge passed away.

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

On February 5th, the zoo announced they acquired a (0.1f) African penguin named Gerry from Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, which is on exhibit.

Penguin from Monterey Bay Aquarium Joins Breeding Colony | The Maryland Zoo

On February 19th, the zoo announced that 10+ Panamanian golden frogs hatched.

12K views · 281 reactions | Panamanian golden frog breeding season is here! Housing the largest PGF population outside of Panama, we’re leading efforts to save these critically endangered amphibians. Over the next few months, these tiny tadpoles will transition and emerge as small frogs, gradually developing their unique signature patterns. ✨ | The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

On November 7th, the zoo announced that 3 African penguins hatched, which are off-show.

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

* Worth mentioning that 2 African penguins hatched (which were later named Camembert and Gouda) in December 2024, as well as named the penguins in November 2024 Victoria and Colby.
 
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