Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Polar Bear Zoo
Historic Maryland Zoo
When the Zoo's polar bears moved into this exhibit in 1942, they swam for the first time. The pool in the old exhibit had been "no larger than a dining room table," according to John Farrell, then-chairman of the Zoological Society of Maryland.
A female polar bear named "Alaska" arrived at the Zoo in 2002 after being confiscated by federal wildlife agents from a traveling circus in Puerto Rico. In Baltimore, Alaska discovered her love for swimming and for snow. On her first day in this exhibit, recalled then-Assistant Curator Chris Bartos, "she walked over to the edge, looked at the pool, and just kind of slid in. She could swim but she didn't know how to dive. She had never been in a pool deep enough to submerge herself in." She also had never seen snow, but she liked it right away. The morning of her first snowfall, "she flopped down on her belly and snow-plowed. She's on her back, her feet are up in the air, and she's rolling around. She just loved it," recalled Bartos.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1942.
Location. 39° 19.456′ N, 76° 38.819′ W. Marker is in Baltimore, Maryland. It is in Druid Hill Park. Marker can be reached from Safari Place north of Beechwood
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Sea Lions Came First (a few steps from this marker); The Elephant House (a few steps from this marker); Mary Ann and George (within shouting distance of this marker); Maryland Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Advancing Education and Animal Welfare (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Prioritizing Conservation (about 300 feet away); State-of-the-Art in 1876 (about 300 feet away); Victorian Cages (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Baltimore.
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Credits. This page was last revised on December 28, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 164 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
