The Maryland Zoo broke ground Thursday on a project that will bring new animals to the oldest part of the property

The first of several new habitats will house red pandas. The project is expected to be completed in 2026, according to zookeepers.

"Maryland Zoo celebrates its 150th anniversary next year, and you don't get to be as venerable as we are without constant reinvention," said Maryland Zoo President and CEO Kirby Fowler. "When complete in 2026, the red panda habitat will bring dynamic, charismatic animals right to the front of our zoo."

Red panda habitat at the Maryland Zoo

The new red panda habitat will be located between the round cafe and the round stand in the Main Valley section of the zoo. 

The area recently housed a snowy owl, but it was designed to support breeding red pandas. 

According to zookeepers, red pandas are technically not part of either the panda or bear family, but they are fun and engaging animals.

The new habitat will highlight conservation efforts to connect the forested highlands between Nepal and India through reforestation. 

Breaking ground on a new habitat

Eddie Blick and his 8-year-old grandson, also named Eddie Blick, spent Wednesday afternoon at the Maryland Zoo.

"I really like the turtles. They are my favorite animal," said 8-year-old Eddie Blick. "The lions and the cheetahs, they are fast like me."

"The way everything is laid out is really fantastic," said Baltimore native Eddie Blick. 

This is their first time walking past the zoo's newest adventure, the red panda exhibit.

"I am coming back when they finish with that, hopefully," said Blick. 

It is the first new animal area in Main Valley since 2009.

"This is where the zoo was born nearly 150 years ago, and for generations that was the zoo, the heart of the zoo for the public," said Fowler. 

But now it's getting a new look and will house red pandas as a part of a global conservation effort for the species.

"That is where the value of zoos really comes in and becomes readily apparent," Fowler said. "We are working with other zoos to increase the population of red pandas in the world."

Maryland Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, U.S. Congressman Johnny Olszewski, and several other elected officials joined the zoo to show off its final design and to break ground.

"What a perfect way to honor our past and safeguard our future," said Lt. Governor Miller.

The exhibit is all a part of the zoo's 10-year Master Plan, aimed at animal welfare and reimagining their roots.

"We are totally going to reconfigure this area," Fowler said.  

Maryland Zoo renovations

The Main Valley section of the zoo is the oldest on the property. It's where the zoo initially housed exotic animals when it first opened in 1876. 

Since then, the zoo has expanded and renovated other parts of the property. In 2022, zoo leaders established a 10-year plan to renovate Main Valley. 

The plan includes new state-of-the-art habitats to house red pandas and gibbons. The habitats will prioritize the welfare of the animals. 

The zoo has also renovated its historic Crane Barn and brought birds back to the front of the zoo. 

"This is the first of many zoo improvements that started with our new parking lot last year and will continue with a gibbon habitat, a flyway for our eagle and snowy owl, and upgrades to our rental facilities and guest amenities," Fowler said. 

Maryland Zoo welcomes new life 

The Maryland Zoo welcomed new life recently, with the births of a baby blue duiker, a baby lemur and the surprising addition of a female giraffe calf. 

The baby blue duiker, a type of small antelope, was born in April to mother Flower and father Kuruka. 

The animals stay relatively small, at about seven to 20 pounds, and they live up to 10 years. 

The baby lemur born in late April was the first birth of the endangered species since they returned to the zoo in 2023. 

The arrival of a baby giraffe in March left zookeepers surprised. She arrived shortly after the zoo welcomed a 4-year-old female giraffe, who they didn't know was pregnant at the time.