Maryland Zoo: Penguins, Pelicans and Polar Bears

Leaving the African Journey proper I went to the Penguin exhibit.  The Maryland Zoo has the largest colony of African Penguins in North America, and off-spring from our hatch-lings can pretty much be found in most every zoo with a colony larger than 20 birds.  The Maryland Zoo is home to just under 100.  Our habitat has won awards, and our keeper regularly travel to South Africa to support Africa Penguin survival and habitat restoration there as well as deepen their own knowledge and husbandry skills. 

On this day, most of the birds were inside in the shade.  Of the dozen or so that were out, most were juveniles.  You can tell by their darker coats with undefined white markings around their belly, neck, and face.  The best place to actually see them was inside the Penguin Education Center with its large under-water viewing window.

The African Penguins share their habitat with a trio of White-breasted Cormorants and a trio of Pink-backed Pelicans.  These birds seem less averse to the heat and humidity.  As you already surely know, the Pink-backed Pelicans are among my favorites.

Across from the Penguin Coast Habitat is a hill dubbed the Polar Bear Watch and home to both Polar Bears and Grizzly Bears, as well as Arctic Fox, American Bald Eagle and Ravens.  On this day I encountered one of our Polar Bears well dusted with sand and looking decidedly like the boulders around her in the exhibit.  She was both cool and camouflaged! 

 African Penguin

Spheniscus demersus

Pink-back Pelican

Pelecanus rufescens

Polar Bear
Ursus maritimus