The Elephant Program at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Our Mission
It is the mission of the Zoo’s Elephant Program to manage elephants in a manner that meets or exceeds the highest standards for elephant care. In
so doing, the Elephant Program strives to contribute to the conservation
of elephants, empower staff members, educate the public, and make a difference. As part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is an advocate on behalf of elephants and, with the collaboration of others, is committed to ensuring that elephants are part of the world’s future.
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is committed to the long-term survival of
elephants. It has a long history of exhibiting and caring for elephants. The
Maryland Zoo is the third oldest zoo in the country, having been created
by an Act of the Maryland General Assembly in 1876. The
Zoo opened its first elephant house in the 1920s, and its first resident
was an Asian elephant named Mary Anne. She was purchased with monies
collected by Baltimore City school children.
In 1985, the Zoo opened a new and greatly expanded elephant facility in its African Journey section. While designed to offer more space and improved housing for the elephants, this new exhibit and barn also were designed with vision and intent to be utilized as a breeding facility. Two of the Zoo’s current African elephant residents, Anna and Dolly, moved into the new barn and have led the way into the progressive elephant program that the Zoo has today.
In 2007, The Maryland Zoo began renovations of the current barn to further enlarge and enhance the elephant indoor living space. The Zoo has plans to undertake a large expansion of the elephant habitat to include new yards, an elephant “trek” walking path, and a new state-of-the-art barn for a growing herd.
In 2007, the Zoo also welcomed two new African elephants into the herd. Felix, an adult female, and Tuffy, an adult male, traveled to Maryland from a facility in Arkansas. Then, on March 19, 2008, Felix gave birth to a healthy male calf that became the newest member of the herd. (Felix was pregnant when she came to the Zoo.)
The growing herd, along with the exhibit expansion and the opportunities it will provide, continue to demonstrate the Zoo’s long-term commitment and connection to elephants and their care and conservation.
The
elephant section of this site was made possible by a gift from C.J.
Miller LLC