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Conservation
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore staff work hard for wildlife and wild places worldwide.
The Zoo's many conservation projects include:
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| SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN (SSP) |
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The Maryland Zoo participates in more than 20 Species Survival Plans (SSPs), coordinated through the
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA). SSPs carefully plan for the future of species living in the zoos. For an endangered species, a genetically sound population is critical to studying that species and increasing its numbers. |
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| MOUNTAIN GORILLA VETERINARY PROJECT |
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Dr. Mike Cranfield, the Zoo’s Director of Animal Health, Research, and Conservation, oversees the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, which provides much needed health care to the highly endangered mountain gorillas in the countries of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is one of few conservation programs in the world to provide health care and treatment to an endangered species in its natural habitat.
Click here to view these magnificent creatures in the wild: Quicktime Movie. (4.4mb)
Click here to learn more about the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project
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| AFRICAN BLACK FOOTED PENGUIN |
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The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore holds the largest captive population of African black-footed penguins in North America , and have been responsible for an extensive breeding program for this threatened species for many years. Staff have traveled to South Africa to study black-footed penguins in their natural habitat and to participate in conservation efforts. The Maryland Zoo's African penguin experts assisted with an oil spill clean-up off the coast of South Africa. The spill affected 44,000 penguins; 90% were successfully released back into the wild. |
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| BOG TURTLE |
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The Bog exhibit in the Maryland Wilderness showcases one of the most rapidly vanishing habitats in Maryland. Our restored wetland is home to two conservation programs focusing on local species. The Baltimore checkerspot butterfly is the state insect of Maryland and is declining in numbers because of habitat loss. The Zoo is engaged in a conservation breeding program for this species focusing on restoring a checkerspot population in the Bog. The Bog is also home to the Zoo’s bog turtle breeding program. The bog turtle is one of the world’s smallest and rarest turtles. The Maryland Zoo has partnered with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to help save this tiny treasure. A visit to The Bog also offers an opportunity to glimpse wild monarch butterflies, tiger swallowtail butterflies, warblers, hummingbirds, and rare wetland plants like the carnivorous pitcher plant. |
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| PANAMANIAN GOLDEN FROG |
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The Zoo is one of the founding members of Project Golden Frog (PGF), a conservation consortium among Panamanian, Canadian and U.S. institutions which has as its primary goal prevention of the extinction of Panamanian golden frogs. The golden frog is believed to be functionally extinction in the wild largely due to a fungal disease that is suspected of causing the extinction of amphibian species on four continents and in Central America. The Maryland Zoo has the largest breeding colony of golden frogs in North America. We are engaged in research on innovative reproductive techniques to make breeding these rare animals easier in captivity. The Zoo has also partnered and is working with the Houston Zoo and other PGF members to construct an amphibian breeding facility in Panama to assist with local participation in conservation efforts. Hopefully our combined captive breeding efforts will keep the species alive until a cure for the fungus can be found and the frogs can be released back into their natural habitat. For more information visit Project Golden Frog’s website at www.ranadorada.org
| PANAMANIAN GOLDEN FROG VIDEOS |
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| American Association Of Zookeepers |
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The American Association of Zookeepers (AAZK) is a nonprofit (U.S. 501c3) volunteer organization made up of professional zoo keepers and other interested persons dedicated to professional animal care and conservation. For more information visit their website: http://www.aazk.org |
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 The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is accredited by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums . |
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