The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore Maryland Zoo News

The ravens have moved into the old snowy owl exhibit. One of the main reasons the zoo has hold off on getting snowy owls or another bird in that exhibit is the noise of the Penguin exhibit construction right behind it. Perhaps they are used to it? It makes me wonder then it snowy owls or another animal will be moving into the old exhibit. That or they wanted to renovate it for the ravens.

I have been taking photos the past couple of months of the Penguin exhibit construction, but I always forget to upload them here. Anyway, looks like the exterior of the main building is almost set, and I see the shape of the pool. The construction has completely taken over the old hippo exhibit.
 
The Zoo has had snowy owls at an offsite area since the beginning of the Penguin exhibit construction, but I'm not sure where they will end up now that the new bald eagle is taking up residence in the other bird exhibit. They are currently living in the Main Valley section of the Zoo.
 
NAIB Volunteer said:
The Zoo has had snowy owls at an offsite area since the beginning of the Penguin exhibit construction, but I'm not sure where they will end up now that the new bald eagle is taking up residence in the other bird exhibit. They are currently living in the Main Valley section of the Zoo.
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Maybe they'll just stay behind the scenes then. The only other thing I could think of is that they'd build and exhibit within and exhibit and put the bald eagle in the Marsh aviary.
 
Updates provided by the Member's Zoogram:

* Maryland Aviary will reopen on the same day as the penguin exhibit. It will feature native birds like turkey vulture, black vulture, wood duck, black crowned night heron, little blue heron, and cattle egret.

* A peacock and peahen are now in the yard behind the membership cottage (anyone have any idea where this location is?)

* A two year old, male blue duiker, from the Kansas City Zoo, is now on exhibit in Africa. I would assume in the exhibit with the gazelle and kudu? Or maybe near the warthog and dik dik exhibits.

* A 3 year old female African penguin from the Memphis Zoo has zoo the penguin colony.

* The penguin exhibit will feature a snack shack called the bait shack.
 
I had a friend visit the new penguin exhibit during a Penguin Parent Preview night. Her photos are set to private, so I'm unable to provide a link. However, I can describe some things based on the photos. The entrance has a boardwalk that goes around the penguin pool. In the middle of the pool is the holding building where the penguins come out. I think tucked in the back right hand corner is a penguin encounters building, which I would assume showcases the education penguins during selected times/days. The education center is in the back part of the exhibit and that is where guests can experience underwater viewing. There's also a water feature that creates a waterfall into the pool, creating waves for the penguins. There's a inside dome that the waterfall falls on. Guests are able to be inside it when it happens. There are many graphics all over and it looks like a very nice penguin exhibit!
 
* I saw the new African penguin exhibit and I think it's one of the best penguin exhibits, at least for African penguins, in the country. There are many vantage points for guests to get up close to the penguins. Also, the design is well received by the penguins as I saw almost half of them swimming together in the water. You really saw the flying in water effect! Pictures of the exhibit will be posted shortly.

* The Marsh aviary in the children's section got a nice upgrade. Those who have been to the zoo remember that the entrance had the large nests for guests to go into. Now that is outside the renovated aviary. The aviary used to be open netted so local birds could get in and out. Now it designed so birds cannot get escape and enough vertical space for them to fly around freely. Pines trees were planted and most of the birds were perching on them. The featured birds are turkey vulture, black vulture, wood duck, black crowned night heron, little blue heron, screech owl and cattle egret.

* The new alpaca are exhibited in the farm area where the Dexter cattle used to be. The long horned cattle are on a grassy hill right next to the train entrance.

* During my last visit, there were 1.2 sitatunga. Now there are 1.4 sitatunga so I am not sure if some are offspring that were behind the scenes or some new arrivals. The male and eldest female are in the main exhibit together for which I would assume to be mating season.

* The flamingo exhibit is a nice renovation to the old hippo exhibit. The chameleon next door was off exhibit.

* The smaller cheetah yard has been converted into an African porcupine exhibit. They come from the Chimpanzee forest exhibit. They and all the other animals in the colobus monkey exhibits have been moved or phased out. Only the colobus monkey family are there now.

* I only saw three sifaka lemurs during my visit so there's a chance the eldest son was moved to another zoo.

* The zookeepers had treats for the lion cubs (Luke & Leia) first birthday. Ironically with this week's events, they chose a paper mache giraffe as the enrichment item.

* I understand it was a weekend, but compared to previous visits, the zoo was packed. I am hoping the new penguin exhibit brings in money for the zoo for future projects!
 
Photos of Penguin Coast are now in the gallery. I apologize for some of the duplicates.
 
I spoke to a keeper recently who said the zoo is planning on renovating the elephant house and expanding both yards in 2016. The main yard could be extended to the old penguin exhibit and the bull yard, which the young male will eventually live in, will be extended into the forest.
 
mweb08 said:
I spoke to a keeper recently who said the zoo is planning on renovating the elephant house and expanding both yards in 2016. The main yard could be extended to the old penguin exhibit and the bull yard, which the young male will eventually live in, will be extended into the forest.
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That sounds wonderful. I hope it all works out and there aren't any snags. That is probably my least favorite exhibit in Africa due to it's size (especially the bull yard). I would love to see them all have more room.
 
blospz said:
* During my last visit, there were 1.2 sitatunga. Now there are 1.4 sitatunga so I am not sure if some are offspring that were behind the scenes or some new arrivals. The male and eldest female are in the main exhibit together for which I would assume to be mating season.
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I think it may be 2.4 sitatunga. I saw two adult males today.

On another mating note, the male and one of the female giraffes, Kesi, are exhibited together now.
 
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