The Maryland Zoo Announces Arrival of Twiggy, a Chimp Relocated From the San Francisco Zoo

While new to our state, Twiggy already has connections to Maryland Zookeepers and Chimps in Baltimore

BALTIMORE, MD – The Maryland Zoo is pleased to introduce the newest member of its chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) troop, a 40 year-old female named Twiggy who was transferred here from the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens. Twiggy’s arrival brings the total number of chimpanzees at Maryland Zoo to seventeen.

While she may be new to Maryland, Twiggy is already familiar with Pam Carter, Maryland Zoo’s Chimpanzee Forest Area Manager, Ruth Collier, Chimp forest keeper, and two of the chimps in the Zoo’s troop from a previous facility (Alex and Abby).

“Chimpanzee troops have sophisticated social structures and introducing a new member requires complex navigation,” Carter said. “So it’s helpful that Twiggy has preexisting relationships to help her get settled.”

Twiggy arrived here in mid-March and, after a standard 30-day quarantine, is carefully being introduced to her troop mates, starting with Alex. She will become increasingly visible to guests as her integration with the troop progresses.

Guests will be able to identify Twiggy by her receded hairline and large size for a female chimp. Also, she almost always extends her left pinky when she eats.

Twiggy’s move to Maryland was based on a recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan© (SSP) as the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens was phasing out chimps to focus on critically-endangered Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus).

Chimpanzees are an endangered species with only about 150,000 living in African forests today, down from one to two million in 1900. They are endangered for many reasons, including poaching, diseases introduced by humans and habitat loss due to deforestation from human encroachment.

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