An 1865 inventory of the Baltimore Zoo listed 9 deer, 4 swans, 3 wild geese, and 24 ewes. By the 1880s, still more creatures, including bears, were exhibited in ornate but small Victorian cages. In those days, animals were seen as objects of curiosity with little attention given to their natures and needs, and park employees with no formal training as keepers managed the collection. Today, the focus of the Maryland Zoo of Baltimore is on conservation and education, with efforts to provide quality environments for animals, support for research, and memorable experiences for visitors in Druid Hill Park and in outreach programs across the State of Maryland.
