Carlsbad, NM – Join New Mexico State Parks on Saturday, January 20, 2024, as we celebrate Maggie’s 19th Birthday at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park in Carlsbad!

Maggie, the park’s black bear, is best-known for her artistic talents and frequently paints with her paws as a behavioral enrichment activity. Maggie was orphaned at the age of one month and was 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.

What:            Maggie’s 19th birthday

When:          Saturday, January 20, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Festivities include crafts and cake in the Visitor Center from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM. At 12:30 PM. Guests can also watch Maggie open her edible birthday gift at her exhibit and guess her weight for a chance to win one of her beautiful paintings!

Where:         Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park

            1504 Skyline Dr.
Carlsbad, NM 88220

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

Contact:       (575) 887-5516

Ready for warmer weather? We’re booking for spring and summer now! Reserve your camping space up to six months in advance at any of your 35 New Mexico State Parks through reserveamerica.com.

For more information about the State Parks Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) go to our website at http://www.emnrd.nm.gov/.