It’s Official, Maggie’s a Teenager!

Carlsbad, NM – Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park is celebrating Maggie’s 13th birthday party on Saturday, January 20, 2018, and everyone is invited! Maggie is Living Desert Zoo and Gardens’ black bear and a local celebrity.

Festivities begin at 1 p.m. and include:

Face Painting from 1-3 p.m.
At 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m., a docent will read “Maggie’s First Birthday,”
a children’s story written and illustrated by former Docent Coordinator Susan Young.
Maggie will unwrap her edible birthday gifts at 3:30 p.m. during the keeper talk at the bear exhibit.
Guess Maggie’s weight for a chance to win a painting by our famous bear!
Free, age-appropriate books will be available for families to take home!
As always, Maggie T-shirts are available for sale.

Maggie was one month old when she was orphaned, and raised by a wildlife rehabilitator in Missouri until she found a home at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park when she was five months old. General Curator Holly Payne started Maggie on her artistic career shortly afterward as a behavioral enrichment activity to give the young bear something to do. Maggie still paints with her feet and her paintings are for sale at the zoo.

All visitor center activities are free, but regular admission fees apply to enter the zoo to see Maggie: children 6 and under free, $3 for children 7-12 years, and $5 for visitors 13 and older. For more information call the park at (575) 887-5516.