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TRI-STATE ZOOLOGICAL PARK

AT HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS

Written by Sara Mullins Photography by Lance C. Bell

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TheTri-StateZoologicalParkisnotexactlythesortofattractionyou’dexpecttofindinaruralsettinglikeWesternMaryland.Andthat’spartofwhatmakestheParksointriguing.NestledamongthehillsjusteastofCumber-land,alongChristieRoad,theParksitsbehindastonewallsuggestiveofanearlierandmoreinnocenttime.Justoverthewallisalineofmagnificenttreesthatshadenearbybenchesandpicnictables,withaminiaturegolfcoursethrownin,justforfun.Theatmospheresuggestsanold-fashionedsortofplace,forwholesome,family-orientedfun.

Justbeyond,anassort-mentofbuildingshintsthatthisismorethanjustaprettypicnicareawithmini-golf.The“Zoo”signneartheentranceconfirmsthis.Aboxwithahand-letteredsignsaying,“MeatDonationsOnly”sitsneartheoffice,anareaofsmallsizebutmuchactivity.Thisiswherepatronscanbuytickets,t-shirts,varioustrinketsandmemorabilia,and,justincase,animalflashcards.Volunteersstopbyforworkassignments,andthestaffkeepsthingsrunning.

BobCandy,theowner,mayormaynotbeintheoffice,dependingonwhat’sgoingonandwherehe’sneeded.Heisaverybusyperson,cheerfullyescortingasmanyvisitorsaspossiblewhileansweringquestions,directingvolunteers,andconversingwiththeanimals.Ifhe’sout,there’sagoodchancehe’stakingthezooontheroad,probablytoalocalschoolforaneducationalprogram.

It’sallpartoftheZoo’smission:toprovideaplacewhereunwantedanimalscanliveinasafeandcaringenvi-ronmentwhileeducatingpeople,especiallychildren,tolearnabouttheseanimals“upcloseandpersonal.”Thegoalistoraiseawarenessaboutanimals,theirplaceinthenaturalorderandtheimportanceoftheconservationofspecies.

“Wewanttogiveunwantedanimalsasafeplacetolive,”Bobsays.“Wetrainthembylove,”headds,sotheanimalswillbeapproachableandfriendly.HepointsoutthatZooanimalswouldnotsurviveifre-introducedtothewild.Andbecausetheyreceiveregularcare,theytendtolivelongerthantheirwildbrethren.MostoftheZoo’stropicalanimalsadaptsurprisinglywelltoCumberland’sfourseasons.

CurrentlytheZoofeaturesmorethan30species.Mostarerescuedanimalsfromavarietyofsources.Some,likethebigcats,camefromzoosthatjustdon’thaveenoughspace.Exoticbirdscomeprimarilyfromareahomes,usuallywhenowners,notrealizingthesecreaturescanlive50to60years,discovertheycannotdevotetheattentionneeded.AreacollegesoftencalltheZootoshelterstudents’petsnakesandiguanas,amongothercreatures,whentheircleaningstaffcomesuponsuchcreaturesabandonedattheendofaterm.Thentherearethe“conversationpets”thatcanturn

outtobemoreofachallengethananowneranticipated.Andunfortunately,somepeopledropoffcatsalongtheroadsidebythezoo;conse-quently,thereareatleast20catsaroundatanygiventime.(Ifanyreaderswouldlikekittens,theZoowouldliketohearfromyou!)

It’sclearthatBobabsolutelyloveswhathe’sdoingattheZoo.ForBob,itrepresentstherealizationofachildhooddream.ABaltimorenative,BobgrewupinruralCarrollCounty,wherehehadatendencytobringhomestraycreatures.Afterearningacollegedegreeinbusinessadministration,Bobembarkedonacareerincontractmanagement,which

broughthimtotheCumberlandarea.Boblikedwhathesawandsettledintheareaabout20yearsagowithhiswifeDonnaandtheirthreechildren.

Duringtheirteens,hischildrencomplainedthat“there’snothingtodohere,”afamiliarlamentheardbyparentstheworldover.ButinBob’scase,thiscomplaintwasthesparkthatbroughthischildhooddreamtolife.Whatbetterwaytogivechildrensomethingworthwhilethanbycreatingazoologicalparktosharehisloveforanimals?

In2003,BobandDonnafoundtheperfectspot—approximately16acresofabandonedpropertyalongChristieRoad.Originallyitwasacampground,completewithswimmingpool.Itgraduallydeterioratedduringsubsequentlivesasadanceclubandnightclub.ButBobfiguredthatitwasserviceableenoughtohouseanimals,andsoitwastransformedintotheTri-StateZoologicalPark.It’ssomewhatofahodge-podgeofstructures,someofwhichwereconstructedfromsalvagedanddonated

Above: A European Hedgehog named Mr. Prickles.

Previous page: “Bu,” a 5-year-old lion.

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materials.AsBobsays,“Aestheticscomelast.Theanimalscomefirstandalwayswill.”

OneofthemostimpressiveresidentsisBu,whosefullnameisMbube,or“sleepinglion.”It’sagoodfitforacrea-turethatsleepsabout20hourseachday.TheZoohasbeenBu’shomesincehearrivedasa10-day-oldcub,allthewayfromazooinMaine.

“He’smybuddy,”Bobsays.HelikestosurpriseonlookersbygoingintoBu’scagetorousehimabitbybrushingandgentlyteasinghim.Bu’sfavoritetoy,analmostunrecog-nizablebowlingball,indicatesthatBulikestoplayroughwhenhe’supandabout.Hemaysoonhaveacompanion,asBobisactivelylookingforafemalelion.

AnotherpopularZooresidentisMowgli,awhiteBengaltigerwhoarrivedfromNationalBridge,Virginia,whenonlytwoweeksold.Amemberofthelargestandrarestspeciesofthecatfamily,Mowgliseemstoenjoybeingadmired.Hehashisownpetcat,oneofthestrays,wholikestohangoutbyhiscagewithinpaw’sreach.

TwooftheSiberiantigersatthezooareold-timers,arrivingattheZoosince2003.CheyenneandKhan,afemaleandmale,areparentstoKumar,IndiaandCayenne.Withonlyseveralhundredremaininginthewild,thesetigersareconsidered“criticallyendangered,”accordingtoNationalGeographic’swebsite.AninterestingtidbitfromBob:“Tigers‘chuff ’’becausetheycan’tpurr.”

Above: Siberian Tiger, India, is one of three tiger cubs born to Cheyenne and Khan and raised at the zoo.

Even though India looks full grown, she is only three years old and still has some growing to do.

Below: Sheba, one of two Arctic Foxes.

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“MOWGLI”

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A WHITE BENGAL TIGER

OthernotablecreaturesattheZooinclude: • TwoHimalayanBlackBears,anotherendangered species • CharlieandSian,amaleandfemalemountainlion (Charliehashadlittlesuccesstodatewithovertures toSian.) • BrownieandSheba,Arcticfoxes • Bandit,aring-tailedlemurbornattheZoo • Severalmonkeysrescuedfromtestinglabs, includingaSquirrelMonkey • KojakandDemo,twodonkeysthatliketo complainnoisilywhenfeelingneglected • ImmaculateConception,agoatofunknown parentage • ThreellamasnamedLlama,LlamaLlama,and LlamaLlamaDingDong(Afternamingthem,Bob wastoldthatheisnolongerallowedtonameany morezooanimals.) • AservalcatSimba,thatBobsaysis“mean” • Chewy,aBinturong(or“BearCat”inMalay),the Zoo’soldestresidentatage18,atree-dwellerthat smellslikepopcorn

Fansoffeatheredcreaturesand/orreptileswillenjoyavisittotheBirdandSnakeHouse.Agroupoftropicalbirdsgreetvisitorswithenthusiasticandalmostcompetitive

squawkingaseachtriestooutshriektheother.“Atnightyou’dthinktherewasapokergamegoingon,”Bobsays.“They’llyell,‘Shutup!Goaway’ateachother.”Movingontoaseparatearea,visitorswillfindseveraltypesoflargesnakes,includingboaconstrictorsandblacksnakes,plusiguanas,alligatorsandasavannahmonitorlizard,nativetoAfrica.

SupportfromthelocalcommunityandbeyondhasbeenkeytotheZoo’scontinuedexistence,especiallyafteradevastatingfireinMarch,2006,completelydestroyedthemainbuilding.About100creatureshousedwithinperished,includingalloftheexoticbirds,reptiles,monkeysandnumeroussmallanimals.AMemorialGarden,dedi-catedtotheseanimals,servesastheirfinalrestinggroundandquietspaceforreflectionwherevisitorscansituponbenchesplacedwithinthecirculardesign.

Facing page and above: Mowgli, the white Bengal tiger and Bob Candy, Tri-State Zoological Park owner.

Top photo: Morgan Cranford and Makayla Siebert of Washington Middle School, with Mowgli and Bob, at a

customized program for middle schools.

Bottom photo: Washington Middle School students enjoy Mowgli’s antics.

Fouryearsafter,thehealingprocesscontinuesandBobisforgingaheadwithbigplans,withhelpfromvolunteers,donationsandfundraisingeffortssponsoredbycommu-nityorganizations.TheZooisanon-profitorganization.CurrentlytheZooisseekingtax-exemptstatussothatitwillbeeligibleforgrantfunding.Theformercampgroundpoolandpoolhousearebeingtransformedintonewlivingquartersforthetigers,bearsandlions.ArtstudentsfromFrostburgStateUniversityhavepaintedmuralsuponthepoolwallsnearpoolsofwaterwherethetigersnowenjoyoneoftheirfavoritepastimes–swim-ming.Bobplansseparate“condoswithpools”foreachtiger.Glassed-inareaswillallowvisitorstosafelyviewtheanimals’antics.Justbeyond,Bobplanstocreateanareaforexotic“hoofstock”suchasgiraffesandzebras.KMKInsurancerecentlysponsoredacarwashtohelpraisefundsforagiraffe,whichcomewithapricetagof$25,000each.AnartauctionbenefitisplannedforJuly.

Manyvisitorsreturntothezooasvolun-teers.About20helpoutonaregularbasisinavarietyofcapacities.Long-termvolun-teersareGingerandTimSquires.Ginger,astaffmemberattheAlleganyArtsCouncilservesasZoophotographer,amongotherduties.Tim,retiredfromtheUSParkPolice,isalwayswillingtohelpwhereverneeded.TheZoowelcomesvolunteersage16orolderwhomeetcertaincriteria;firstandforemostisaloveofandrespectforanimals.Formoreinformation,visittheZoowebsiteatwww.tristatezoologicalpark.com.

Donationsofallkindsarealwaysneeded,suchasbuild-ingmaterials,officesupplies,giftcardsfromareastores,food,petsupplies,tools,hayandanimaltoys.AmorecompletelistcanbefoundontheZoowebsite.Monetarydonationsbycreditordebitcardcannowbemadesafelyandconvenientlyonline.

Sometimesdonationscomeaboutinunconventionalways.WhentheAlleganyCountyRoadsDivisionwashavingproblemsdisposingofanoverabundanceofroadkill,especiallydeer,Bobcalledandsaid,“Wehaveyoursolution!”Fortheanimals’safety,theZooischoosyaboutacceptingroadkillandasksthatanyonewantingtomakesuchadonationpleasecallfirstforapproval.

Withthepublic’shelp,BobhopestoexpandthevarietyofanimalsattheZoo,

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Bob and Chewy, a Binturong or “Bear

Cat” (above); a white peacock

(right) and below, Muscovy ducklings.

I know where I’m going. I plan to get there first.

Sumer Rohrs, six-time NCAA National Champion, hurdles, and 2009 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year

At Frostburg State University, in the beautiful Western Maryland

mountains, you can gain the tools you need to achieve your dreams.

Frostburg offers 45 challenging undergraduate majors, and FSU’s graduate

programs allow you to challenge yourself for career advancement and

career change.

With multiple opportunities for hands-on research, study abroad and

internships, you’ll get a jump on your future at FSU.

For more information or Open House dates, call 301.687.4201 or click on www.frostburg.edu

m o u n t a i n d i s c o v e r i e s 29

continuingitstraditionofanimalrescue.AnyoneinterestedindonatingananimalshouldbeawarethattheZoocannotacceptanyanimalthatisnativetoMarylandbecauseofstateregulations.

BesidesindividualandgrouptoursatthePark,theZooofferson-sitevisitsfeaturingcustomizedprogramsforschoolsandother,aswellasbirthdaypartieswithanoptionforminiaturegolf.SpecialeventsincludeanEasterEggHuntandotherholiday-themedhappenings,plusvisitstoareafestivitieslikeHeritageDaysandCanalFest/RailFest.

Intheend,it’sallabouteducationandstewardshipattheZoo.“Thebesteducationhappenswhensomeonecanfeelapersonalconnectionwithananimalthroughinteractingwiththatanimal,”Bobsays.Visitorsareallowedtofeedsomeoftheanimals,primarilythosecommonlyfoundinafarmsetting.AlistispostedneartheZoooffice.

ConnectingwithchildrenofallagesisespeciallyimportanttoBobbecause,hesays,“Kidsareourfuturezookeepers.”Heusesstorytellingtohelpthemconnectwitheachanimal.Witholderchildren,hetriestoconveyabiggermessage:“Wehadafire,butwedidn’tjustgiveup.Youmoveforwardoryoufindanotherpassion.” AsforBobandtheZoo,hesaysenthusiastically,“Weplantobearoundforever!”

Tri-State Zoological Park, 10105 Cottage Inn Lane, Cumberland, MD 21502 • 301-724-2400 • www.tristatezoologicalpark.com

A llama, namedLlama Llama Ding Dong.