Inspiring conservation leaders by connecting people and communities with wildlife and nature.
07/29/2025
We’re thrilled to announce the birth of two Amur leopard cubs, born on July 14, to 6-year-old first-time mom Mina.
Amur leopards, native to the snowy forests of eastern Russia, are critically endangered, with fewer than 100 left in the wild. Their birth is a rare and important addition to the species’ global population.
The cubs have been hitting developmental milestones, nursing regularly and staying close to their mom, who's keeping a watching eye.
For now, the little family is tucked away in a behind-the-scenes habitat, but we'll be sharing updates along the way.
There’s never been a more important time to protect wildlife and the places they call home.
This week, our President & CEO, Dr. Mike Adkesson - Brookfield Zoo, shared Brookfield Zoo Chicago's vision for global conservation and education at City Club of Chicago.
Protecting wildlife takes all of us. For many, zoos are where a lifelong love of animals begins. That love is the heartbeat of everything we do, it drives us to care, to take action, and to make a difference.
Zoos are making a lasting impact in conservation, and at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, we’re proud to be part of this global movement.
Learn more about how we’re working to make a difference for wildlife:
Brookfield Zoo Chicago: A New Era for Wildlife and ConservationJoin us for a special presentation with Dr. Mike Adkesson, President and CEO of the Brookfield...
07/25/2025
07/25/2025
Big news from Bramsen Tropical Forests — some of the orangutans are starting to venture outdoors!
As the largest tree-dwelling mammals, orangutans are perfectly built for an arboreal lifestyle. Their arms are much longer than their legs which allows them to swing through branches, vines, and trees. The orangutans are still settling in and may choose to stay behind the scenes, so sightings aren’t guaranteed just yet. Plan your visit to Bramsen Tropical Forests soon — no timed tickets required!
07/24/2025
When your Animal Care team creates a delicious (and nutritious) cake to celebrate your birthday, but all you care about is the lettuce... 🥬 🦒
Last week we celebrated Jasiri the reticulated giraffe's 20th birthday! The "cake" in the shape of a 20 was created with a mix of nutritional biscuits, gelatin, animal safe food coloring, steamed sweet potatoes, and apples in the shape of flowers on a big bed of lettuce. As you can see, Jasiri used her prehensile lips and tongue in order to maneuver those leafy greens out from under the cake. This adaptation is how giraffes are able to strip leaves from trees while avoiding thorns and other obstacles. Don't forget to wish Jasiri a very happy 20th birthday down below!
07/23/2025
Shoutout to our incredible Animal Care Specialists for turning childhood dreams into everyday care, compassion, and conservation!
Happy ! Rain, sleet, snow, or shine, our Animal Care Specialists are preparing food, creating enrichment, cleaning habitats, and helping guests connect with the animals all around the Zoo. Help us celebrate our Animal Care Specialists by sharing your love for them in the comments below!
07/22/2025
Beat the heat and cool off with hot discounts at Brookfield Zoo Chicago this week! On Wednesday, July 23 and Thursday, July 24, we're offering $10 general admission to the Zoo. Get your tickets today at https://bit.ly/4kQg180. See you soon!
07/21/2025
We're welcoming another adorable addition to the squirrel monkey group!
There’s a tiny new explorer inside the recently reopened Tropic World! The young male, born to mother, Gizmo, can often be seen clinging to his mother's back. Young squirrel monkeys stay close to their mothers for several months, gradually gaining confidence as they take in the sights and sounds around them. See if you can spot the youngster on your next visit!
07/19/2025
Happy and !
Did you know echidnas don't have teeth? Instead, they use their six-inch tongues to slurp up ants and termites before grinding them up against the roof of their mouth to digest. Here at the Zoo, echidnas will eat mealworms and a special mix of ground insects like crickets along with various protein and vitamin supplements made by our Zoo nutritionists!
Stop by the Australia House on Saturday, July 19 at 12:30 p.m. for a chat with our expert Animal Care Specialists to learn more about echidnas!
07/17/2025
Calling all K–12 teachers! Whether you're looking for new classroom strategies, ways to enrich student engagement, or professional development hours, Brookfield Zoo Chicago has a full lineup of exciting opportunities just for you this summer!
Apply Now: Fall 2025 Teaching Safari
Our most immersive (and free!) professional development experience is back! Earn 35 PD hours or 2 graduate semester hours through Dominican University. This fall, we kick things off in the stunning new James & Elizabeth Bramsen Tropical Forests, where educators will explore gorillas and primates like never before. Then, dive into a two-day "Sea and Sky" experience featuring dolphins, our North American Prairie Aviary, and more.
📅 Application window is open until August 15, or until spaces are filled. Special consideration is given to educators from Title I and CPS schools.
🔗 Apply at https://bit.ly/44N9rJD
Onsite Summer Teacher Workshops
Join us in person at the zoo for interactive, grade-specific workshops including "Giraffe Conservation and Problem-Based Learning," for teachers K-5 and "Discover the World of Cranes!" for teachers 6-12. Register for workshops at https://bit.ly/4eQHuVJ
Free Online PD for Teachers
Join us virtually for interactive sessions like Pangolin Paths to Learning (for grades K–8), Complete the Feet (grades 2–5), and The Role of Predators in Our Ecosystem (grades 3–8). These sessions are packed with ready-to-use strategies and resources to enhance both your classroom instruction and your students’ zoo visits.
🔗 Register at https://bit.ly/3THM7YD
Our latest ZOOvestigate! Spring 2025 explores animal diets and nutrition with engaging activities for students at different grade levels designed to spark curiosity in the classroom. Download and subscribe to ZOOvestigate at https://bit.ly/3ItfGe0
Heading to the zoo this summer? Download our field trip resources—available in English and Spanish—to enrich your students’ onsite learning. You can download these resources at https://bit.ly/4lW8Zjg
07/11/2025
Drum roll please 🥁
James & Elizabeth Bramsen Tropical Forests is now open at Brookfield Zoo Chicago!
Experience one of the largest outdoor gorilla habitats in the country, a three-acre primate space featuring four immersive rainforest environments inspired by Africa, Asia, and South America.
Meet the gaze of a gorilla while monkeys swing through the trees.
Come closer to wildlife than you’ve ever imagined.
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The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society is to inspire conservation leadership by engaging people and communities with wildlife and nature. The Chicago Zoological Society is a private nonprofit organization that operates Brookfield Zoo on land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The Society is known throughout the world for its international role in animal population management and wildlife conservation. Its Center for the Science of Animal Care and Welfare is at the forefront of animal care that strives to discover and implement innovative approaches to zoo animal management. Brookfield Zoo is the first zoo in the world to be awarded the Humane Certified™ certification mark for the care and welfare of its animals, meeting American Humane Association’s rigorous certification standards. Open every day of the year, the zoo is located at 8400 31st Street in Brookfield, Illinois, between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and also is accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Metra commuter line, CTA and PACE bus service. For further information, visit CZS.org.
HISTORY
In 1919 Edith Rockefeller McCormick had a dream to build the biggest zoological park with modern construction that included bar-less enclosures allowing people to connect with animals and provide educational opportunities. Her vision led to the donation of 83 acres to the Forest Preserve District of Cook County for that purpose. The Chicago Zoological Park was chartered in 1922. The zoo resides in a park like setting with over 216 acres that feature stunning buildings in the Italian Renaissance and Art Deco style designed by Edwin H. Clark, a prominent Chicagoland architect. There are sculptures made by the team of WPA artists that were in residence from 1934-1938. The zoo took 15 years to construct, but opening weekend had a turn out of over 53,504 eager visitors.
The Chicago Zoological Society—Brookfield Zoo has a unique standing in annals of zoo history because it has celebrated so many 1st achievements. Among the notable accomplishments in the early years are Su-Lin the first panda to be exhibited in the Northern Hemisphere in 1937 with a visit from Shirley Temple tipping the visitors over 2 million in 1938 and the first black rhino birth occurred in captivity, rare Australian mammals and birds arrived from the Taronga Zoo in 1949. The fifties brought remarkable changes with the construction of a state of the art Veterinary Hospital in 1952, the third only in the U.S. allowing for immediate care and research. Poppy was the first okapi to be born in the U.S. in 1959 and was the start of a very successful breeding program to this day. The beautiful Seven Seas Panorama was the nation’s first inland dolphinarium and in August of 1961, began showcasing Vickie, Maggie, Power, Tommy the bottle-nosed dolphins to the delight of the guests, in five sold out performances daily.
Innovations continued with exemplary veterinary care, nutrition, and animal welfare. In 1994, the Brookfield Zoo veterinarians and neurosurgeons from Loyola Medical Center performed the first ever human brain surgical procedure to remove a tumor from Chicory a silverback Western lowland gorilla and in 2005 another first; a successful uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) procedure with doctors from Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital.
Other advancements include the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, which is the world’s longest running wild dolphin study in Sarasota, FL , (44 years!), the new Conservation Leadership Center and the Center for the Science of Animal Welfare all designed to educate and engage the guests and community at large.
