The redesign of the far end of the zoo's African Journey habitats continues apace. The last time I posted images, it was all about tearing things down. On a scale like this, that was pretty cool actually. Now, even though the tearing continues, there are signs of building, too! This is like even cooler, right?
In my previous visit, there was still access to the closest exterior habitat for the Reticulated Giraffes, now that area is all ripped up and mounds of dirt. The final resolution will be to both expand the space by a good third, and to level the grading to that the danger of these magnificent animals from slipping and falling because of the angle of the former hill wherein they lived is gone.
There is also some really interesting construction of faux rocks occurring at the site of the former Giraffe feeding deck. You can see newly poured concrete steps and newly erected frames for gates that will help to limit and control access to various parts of the expanded habitats. The new design more than doubles the area for the African Elephants, adds more than 33% to the existing Reticulated Giraffe habitat and totally reconfigures the African Lion's habitat.
The zoo hopes that this will bring about some wonderful benefits for these three seminal species.
AFRICAN ELEPHANTS - The zoo is currently home to 4 African Elephants: A bull male named Tuffy, two adult females (Felix and Anna) and an adolescent male (offspring of Felix and Tuffy) named Samson. My more than doubling the habitat, and also increasing the holding space of the interior structure of the Elephant "barn," the Maryland Zoo hopes to be a receptor zoo for African Elephants from other zoos.
This vision harkens back to an earlier failure. Back in 2004, the Philadelphia Zoo made the wise yet difficult decision to eliminate its African Elephant habitat out of a realization that it didn't have the room and resources to upgrade to meet best practices standards for African Elephant care. They initially chose the Maryland Zoo to transfer their two adult females, but the Maryland Zoo experienced a grave financial crisis at the same time. After waiting as long as they could, Philadelphia's zoo redirected the animals to a zoo that was better situated to care for them. It was a bitter lesson in commitment and preparation. This renovation will ensure that future opportunities will not go unanswered.
It is a larger aspect of the zoological fellowship that both African and Asian Elephants be given a greater priority when making habitat decisions. As a result, zoos are either ending their stewardship of elephants (Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, the Philadelphia Zoo) or expanding their facilities significantly (Denver Zoo, Zoo Miami, the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C.). I am thrilled to see the Maryland Zoo join those with a renewed commitment to excellence.
RETICULATED GIRAFFE - The zoo is home to 4 Reticulated Giraffe. A bull male named Caesar, two adults females, Kesi and Anuli, and an adolescent female born at the zoo named Willow. Caesar has proven to be a very effective sire with two calves born to him in 2016. With the renovation in full swing, breeding has ceased for practical reasons; however, once the new habitat is open and available to the herd in the summer of 2019, there is no reason not to resume. Both Anuli and Kesi are able partners. Willow is Caesar's offspring. At some point, she will likely be transferred to another zoo to continue her life's journey and to be enabled to breed, as well.
AFRICAN LION - The zoo is home to 2 African Lions: Hassan, the male, and Zuri, the female. When the renovation first began, another male, Luke, was also part of the pride. Luke had reached the age of majority and he and Hassan were suddenly having "issues". At the same time, Zoo Boise in Idaho was in need of an adult male. The timing was perfect, and Luke was transferred to Boise. The new facilities and habitat for the African Lions will both permit the addition of new members as well as breeding. No decisions along these lines have been made.
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