On a whim, on a relatively lovely day for the end of July in the middle of the mid-Atlantic states, I went to the zoo. I have four viable options for a day trip and chose the one that has always impressed me the least: The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. It's an old school zoo with an honorable origin. It was the third public zoological park in incorporate in the United States in 1876. (I know the first was in Philadelphia--another day trip option. I don't know the second.)
The last time I attended I was frankly depressed by a lot of the condition of things. The primates were all in a very dismal and gloomy setting, the polar bears setting was not in good shape, Most of the whole Maryland Wilderness section was closed. This time a lot has changed. Things were just in a better general state of repair. The number of staff was double that of my last visit which was also on mid-summer Saturday. They have projects in the works--a major recreation of their African penguin habitat.
Within their limits, they have chosen to focus on three biomes. The Arctic, Africa and Maryland's own wilderness.
One last thought: the crowds that go to zoos are not the same as the ones that go to museums!
BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOGS
BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOGS
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