Maryland Zoo: African Journey, Completing the Loop

The African Journey reaches it's furthest extent with the African Elephants, and then it's time to turn back.  In this new reality, that isn't returning the way you came.  It is completing the loop that takes you through the trio of exterior habitats where some of our lesser primates hang out; past the new overhead slinky-like habit-trail that leads from the Chimpanzee Forest building to those habitats, and finally to the Chimpanzee Forest building itself.  With restricted entrance, I found myself standing in line awaiting my turn. 

Sidebar Story:

Directly in front of my was a young Hispanic couple with a baby in a pram and little boy walking.  He was eating a McDonald's burger.  Smart parents to plan ahead for lunch.  He took the wrapper and tossed it through a wooden fence that skirted the path.  The mother watched him do it, then she turned and took his hand as they advanced with the line.  Decision time.  It didn't take me long. 

I reached through the fence and retrieved the trash.  I stepped forward with the line and said, "Excuse me." loudly. 

Both parents looked in my direction. 

I said, "I think your son dropped something." and offered the burger wrapper. 

The mother took it with a sheepish smile and "Thank you."

I'm not sorry.  You don't come to my zoo and treat it like a trash dump--not knowingly.  Not if I catch you.
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The fact that it was July 5th was very significant.  It was one year ago today that Bunny gave birth to baby girl.  She shortly thereafter christened "Lola," and her paternity was determined to Jack!  Jack is not the Alpha male, but no one is telling Kesoje he got bested by one of his lessors.  Lola is the first of two little female Chimpanzees born at the Maryland Zoo in the last year.  Both are thriving.

Leaving the Chimpanzee Forest Building, I emerged to discover three of our 14 Chimps had chosen to spend the morning together in the large exterior portion of their habitat options.  I chatted with another volunteer who was directing traffic there.  Apparently the aforementioned Jack, along with the newest adult male to join the troop, Alex, and one of the females, Carol, have formed a sort of triad, and have been enjoying hanging out away from the others in the recent past.  We are fortunate to have the facilities that allow our Chimpanzees to make social choices within and without the troop structure like in the wild.

The loop continues up the backside of the hill that is the apex of the African Journey section of the zoo.  Rounding it's northwestern edge brings you back to the entrance and offered the bast views of the Sitatunga habitat.  Sitatunga are arboreal antelopes of the Tragelaphus genus.  The males have a shaggy burnt umber coat with the characteristic spiral horns, while the females have a bright orangy-roan coat.  The Maryland Zoo has been extremely successful in maintaining and breeding this species.  There have been over a dozen births in the herd over the past 5 years.

Ring-tailed Lemur

Lemur catta

Ring-tailed Lemurs are one of four species of lesser primates that call the Maryland Zoo home.  A total of three are indigenous to Madagascar.  The other two are the Red Ruffed Lemur and Coquerel's Sifaka.  The fourth species of African lesser primates is the Black and White Colobus Guereza.   

Lola!  The Birthday girl.

Primates observing primates

Pan troglodytes and Homo sapiens sapiens

West African Mud Turtle

Pelusios castaneus

Within the Chimpanzee Forest is a multi-species aquatic habitat that is home to a pair of African Slender-snouted Crocodiles.  They share their home with Ciclids and a trio of West African Mud Turtles.

Sitatunga

Tragelaphus spekei