Frosty Fun

January 6, 2022

‘Tis the season for frosty fun at the zoo! Complete with snowfall and dropping temperatures, winter has arrived in the Windy City. Fresh powder recently blanketed zoo grounds, transforming Lincoln Park Zoo into a winter wonderland. Take a look, below, to discover how species from across the zoo are enjoying the winter season.

At Pepper Family Wildlife Center, red panda Mei Lin was spotted exploring the fresh snow. She’s a member of a unique species native to Central and East Asia, which can be found in mountain forests. Red pandas are arboreal and spend most of their time in tree branches.

Photo courtesy of Jill Dignan.

These unique animals resemble raccoons with a red coat, long tail, and white spots on their cheeks, mouth, and ears—yet they are not related to raccoons, pandas, or cats.

Photo courtesy of Jill Dignan.

Over at Walter Family Arctic Tundra, polar bear Siku enjoyed enrichment in the snow. Enrichment at the zoo helps create complex and dynamic environments that encourage species-specific behaviors.

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Bohr.

Cold weather calls for staying warm and close to one another! Japanese macaque Otaru was spotted cuddling her sister Nikko and brother Minato. Minato is the youngest in the troop and was born this past summer. His mother, Mito, selected his name using touchscreen computer technology alongside Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes researchers at Regenstein Macaque Forest.

Photo courtesy of Shannon McElmeel.

Inside Regenstein African Journey, species of all sorts are staying warm and cozy despite the winter cold. Meerkats are small members of the mongoose family and have long and slender profiles that allow them to easily dig and move through intricate underground tunnel networks.

Photo courtesy of Chris Garcia.

It’s hard not to be smitten with Lincoln Park Zoo during the winter! On your next visit to the zoo, see which species you can spot both indoors and outdoors.

Photo courtesy of Elliot Foley.

If you’re unable to make it to the zoo, be sure to tune in to the zoo’s web series, The ABCs of Lincoln Park Zoo, from the comfort of your home. This intriguing web series publishes two videos a month, and each episode’s theme starts with a different letter of the alphabet.

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