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It's been a wonderful year at Lincoln Park Zoo. Here's a list of some of the great things that have happened here in the last 12 months.

Lincoln Park Zoo is saddened to share former Zoo Director Dr. Lester E. Fisher passed away at the age of 100 on December 22. A Lincoln Park Zoo icon and household name, Dr. Fisher transformed the notion of what a...

This holiday season, Lincoln Park Zoo is continuing the ZooLights Presented by ComEd and Invesco QQQ tradition—and there are plenty of other events going on.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is performing The Carnival of the Animals soon. Here's a look at how this lovely and whimsical piece of music relates to zoo animals.

The zoo may only encompass 49 acres of space in Chicago, but Lincoln Park Zoo's footprint so much larger than you’d think. International-level conservation work, advances in animal care, and research and education take place here every single day of...

Although many people don’t think to frequent the zoo in the middle of the coldest months of the year, the zoo is open every day. Yes, the zoo is beautiful at the height of summer, with hardy hibiscus blooming while trumpeter swans and different duck species rest along the banks of the pond.

Lincoln Park Zoo is committed to mitigating wildlife trafficking. On November 20, it announced several initiatives to assist in that endeavor.

Some experts here at the zoo offer both general and technical tips on how you can take better pictures of the animals!

Looking for a gift for a zoo lover? Lincoln Park Zoo has you covered, whether you're interested in physical or experiential gifts.

Spring is a great time to visit the zoo! Flowers are coming up, lion cubs will hopefully soon be playing outside, and animals that enjoy warmer weather are starting to choose to be outside more.

Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo blends expert animal care, interactive learning elements, and tactile experiences to teach visitors of all ages about the interdependency of living things.

Opened in 1964 and renovated in 2002, Farm-in-the-Zoo incorporates domestic farm animals and play-based learning stations to create a welcome space for first encounters with and exploration within the natural world.

In 1868, Chicago’s Lincoln Park Commissioners received a pair of mute swans as a gift from New York City’s Central Park Commissioners. The birds became so popular that Chicago’s free zoo was established.

Lincoln Park Zoo’s teen programs allow students in Grades 8-12 to participate in conservation activities, learn about future careers, and gain experience in fields like education and research. Participating teens also become part of the zoo family, which gives them access to mentors, peers who share their interests, and a network to support them in the future. For example, alumni return to the zoo each year for a reunion. Alums also assist with recruitment and planning, are invited back as speakers, can opt-in to receive updates (including job postings and animal updates) from the zoo, and receive memberships. And, as evidenced by a couple of the teen alums profiled here, they may even someday become full-time zoo staff!

Creating an inclusive place for all is an ongoing process. Discover the accessibility and inclusion initiatives Lincoln Park Zoo has recently implemented, as well as what is on the horizon for inclusivity at the zoo. Lincoln Park Zoo is committed...

News Briefs from Lincoln Park Zoo

Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accreditation is coveted by institutions all across the globe, including Lincoln Park Zoo. What does the accreditation process entail, and why is it important?

Steve Johnson is a former Chicago Tribune reporter who covered zoos and museums for a decade.

Lincoln Park Zoo scientists labor year-round on research projects designed to help humans learn more about animals in many different contexts. This type of work allows the zoo to better care for the individuals that reside here. Visitors don't necessarily see all the effort that staff put into projects like these—but can often see the results. For the animals in our care, this translates into more dynamic living spaces, improved enrichment, and actions that make life better, safer, and more natural. For animals in the wild, this leads to improved understanding and better conservation strategies and outcomes.

Did you know that Lincoln Park Zoo has 18 green roofs, scattered across its grounds? They aren’t meant to beautify the grounds, as they’re in hard-to-reach behind-the-scenes spaces, but they provide valuable services for the zoo and the city of Chicago.

Darkness lies all around Lincoln Park Zoo keeper Bryan Summerford as he crouches in the fragmented forests of West Java, Indonesia, surprisingly nestled up next to coffee and other agriculture fields. Armed with a red flashlight, notebook, and camera, he waits. In a flash, the species he seeks darts across the bamboo thicke—as critically endangered slow lorises are anything but slow. The group of researchers he's with takes note of the tracking device around the loris’ neck, part of a concerted effort to monitor and conserve these bug-eyed beauties.

It’s likely you can picture a video of a tiger cub playing with a puppy, an image of a “smiling” young chimpanzee in clothing, a post of an otter swimming with people in a pool, or a clip of a toothbrush combing through a marmoset’s fur. These viral images may be considered cute…but at what cost to the animal, or the species as a whole?

It’s the whole other world happening above your head and below your feet. Whether or not you’ve paid attention, the historic trees across zoo grounds are an integral part of what makes this park an oasis in the middle of the city.

About ZooRisk is a computer program designed to assist managers in making scientifically based decisions for animal populations in zoos, aquariums, and breeding centers. It provides a quantitative assessment of a population’s risk of extinction due to the demographic, genetic,...

About Zoos and aquariums regularly monitor the behavior of animals to gain valuable insight into their health and welfare. Conducting systematic behavioral observations of animals can provide a detailed, science-based understanding of behavior, but this can be challenging to conduct...

About Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plans® (SSP) are cooperative programs that manage species across AZA-accredited institutions as single populations. AZA Animal Programs aim to maintain healthy, sustainable zoo and aquarium populations to meet the education and...

About Scientists with the Animal Welfare Science Program conducts research to evaluate and enhance the welfare of animals at Lincoln Park Zoo. Some projects focus on how the opportunity to engage in zoo programs, such as Malott Family Penguin Encounters...

About Lincoln Park Zoo and the national chimpanzee sanctuary, Chimp Haven, have teamed up in an unprecedented partnership to advance care for chimpanzees at both institutions and beyond. Each organization is renowned for the depth of its commitment to chimpanzees....

About PopLink is a computer program designed to improve the management and analysis of studbook databases. A studbook is an electronic record of the history of a population. It includes information on every individual in a population, such as pedigrees...

About The zoo’s staff is committed to furthering the goals and purpose of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science and recreation....

About SSPs guide the population management of zoo and aquarium populations and ensure the health and well-being of individuals within those populations. Each SSP is managed by an SSP coordinator; a studbook keeper; and, sometimes, an SSP vice coordinator and...

A Red-light Special for Brush-tailed Bettongs Brush-tailed bettongs are nocturnal marsupials native to a small part of Australia. The species has fascinating adaptations: they dig holes nightly in search of fungi, raise their young in kangaroo-like pouches, and bounce around...

About The red wolf, which once roamed the southeastern United States, is now one of the most endangered canids in the world. Habitat loss and hunting drove this predator to the brink of extinction. By the late 1970s, the USFWS...