Zoos Look Ahead

This is an exciting time for zoos and aquariums. In the past few months, I’ve met with leaders of zoos and aquariums across the nation and the world, and the landscape looks different than it has before. I am proud that Lincoln Park Zoo remains a leader among many great institutions, yet I am always inspired and humbled by the great work of fellow Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited members. With this post, I want to share three trends I see emerging in our community, and that I believe our members and visitors will encounter more and more at Lincoln Park Zoo and other zoos and aquariums in the coming years.

Zoos and aquariums will more proactively share conservation efforts and invite visitors to participate.

Many zoos have been focused on wildlife conservation for years, but we haven’t shared it widely. Today at Lincoln Park Zoo, our daily on-grounds chats and even signage help our visitors understand the environmental and human threats a species may be facing in the wild, and offer ways to help. In addition, our scientists are working hard behind the scenes to secure a strong future for wildlife:

• The Urban Wildlife Institute (UWI) studies the intersection of urban development and natural ecosystems to minimize human/wildlife conflict (pictured above: UWI scientists conduct a bird survey at Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo);
• The Population Management Center conducts demographic and genetic analyses and prepares breeding and transfer plans for Species Survival Plan^® species;
• The Alexander Center for Applied Population Biology focuses science on small population analysis to foster the welfare of zoo animals;
• The Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes leads collaborations on research and education to enhance the welfare of apes at zoos and in the wild;
• The Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology studies the spread of disease and stress and reproductive hormone levels in zoo and wild populations.

Zoos and aquariums will forge new relationships with external partners who share our cause.

Lincoln Park Zoo is an organization made up of staff, members, and supporters that care passionately about animals and wildlife. At the AZA annual conference, our keynote speaker was Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States. Wayne’s key message was one that resonated for many of our staff: we all do our work to provide the best care for animals, develop bonds between humans and animals, fight cruelty, and promote conservation. I think we’ll see more partnerships between zoos and other animal welfare organizations in the future.

Habitat design will continue to become more animal-centric and science-based than ever before.

Zoos and aquariums are leveraging technology and science to build habitats that maximize the space available and encourage natural behaviors. For example, when Lincoln Park Zoo built the Regenstein Center for African Apes, we designed the exhibits with lots of acute angles and corners because ongoing data collection told us chimpanzees and gorillas often prefer these types of cozy spaces. We have also recently added plains zebras to the outdoor Kovler African Savanna habitat at Regenstein African Journey. This shared living space more accurately mirrors the ecosystem both species experience in the wild.

Additionally, I anticipate more and more zoos and aquariums will take our efforts to facilitate learning into our surrounding communities. At Lincoln Park Zoo, we’ve already begun that with the WILD Marshall Square Sculpture Project (join us for a celebration with our Little Village community partners on Monday, October 30). I believe zoos will also further integrate technology to augment the visitor experience and be more transparent regarding how we care for animals every day.

Today’s world is a digital one, but so far I have yet to encounter a digital experience that can truly replicate the feeling of locking eyes with a lion, or hearing its roar from nearly a half mile away. Zoos must continue to evolve to best serve the animals in our care, and to facilitate learning for the next generation of conservation stewards.

I hope you’ll join us as we work toward a bright future: For Wildlife. For All.

Kevin Bell