For Members of Lincoln Park Zoo • A Magazine of Conservation and Education • Fall 2011
365 World-Class Care By the Numbers
iN ThiS iSSUe Volume 11 Number 2 • For Members of Lincoln Park Zoo
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Late Bloomers Find out the best views for enjoying the zoo’s gardens this fall.
30 Years of Recovery Wine & Wildlife: Black-Footed Ferrets—Back from the Brink will share the amazing recovery of this endangered American species.
DEPARTMENTS
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FEATURES
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365 Days of Care
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An Ounce of Prevention
From food prep to play, see how every day is filled with exceptional care for the zoo’s amazing animals.
Lincoln Park Zoo’s veterinary services team proactively manages animal health from tooth to tail.
Perspective Lincoln Park Zoo President and CEO Kevin J. Bell highlights some of his favorite zoo numbers.
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The Wild File
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News of the Zoo
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Bringing in bushbabies, restoring smooth green snakes and sharing new arrivals from blue-bellied rollers to Sichuan takin.
Summer event recaps, new grants and honors, and tying conservation efforts in Chicago to work a world away.
Your Story Visitors share the sights that draw them back to the zoo again and again.
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1,800 Pounds of Produce
Continue Your Visit online
Flamingo feed, fresh herring and diced mango—all part of the balanced diets produced by the zoo’s Nutrition Center.
Visit www.lpzoo.org for Lincoln Park Zoo photos, videos and up-to-date info on events and animals. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter!
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Free for All…at $63,000 a Day
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Lincoln Park Zoo may be free to visit, but it isn’t free to run! Learn what goes into keeping the gates open to all, 365 days a year.
Living in Numbers Think the city is crowded? See how dwarf mongooses, Chilean flamingos and Bolivian gray titi monkeys manage life in large groups.
Counting Up to Chimpanzee Conservation Having surveyed the U.S. chimpanzee population, Project ChimpCARE now wants to see how adult chimpanzees are influenced by the social groups in which they’re raised.
Tracking Life Over 14 Acres Scientists have a number of tools for tracking wildlife at Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo. See some of the top sightings of the past season.
We’d Like to Hear from You! Send your feedback on this issue of Lincoln Park Zoo magazine to magazine@lpzoo.org. Cover: Keeper Shannon Layne offers fresh greens to a Baringo giraffe at Regenstein African Journey—one small part of the zoo’s world-class care. Left: Gorilla Susie
QUESTIONS? Contact the Membership Department. Staff are on hand during normal business hours— phone 312-742-2322 or visit us online at www.lpzoo.org.
LINCoLN ParK Zoo MagaZINe President and CEO Kevin J. Bell
Editor James Seidler
Art Director Peggy Martin
Staff Writer Chris McNamara
Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60614, 312-742-2000, www.lpzoo.org. Lincoln Park Zoo is supported through a public/private partnership between the Chicago Park District and The Lincoln Park Zoological Society. The only privately managed free zoo in the country, Lincoln Park Zoo relies on membership, individual, foundation and corporate support as well as earned revenue.
perspective
A Letter From President and CEO Kevin J. Bell
By the Numbers Adding up everything that makes Lincoln Park Zoo the world-class institution it is involves an amazing set of variables. 143 years of history. 3 million-plus annual visitors. 183 species living in 15 state-of-the-art facilities. 7,832 miles between zoo conservation work in Tanzania’s Gombe National Park and efforts to save species in our own backyard. Lincoln Park Zoo by the numbers ranges from each leafcutter ant in Regenstein Small Mammal–Reptile House to every camper who’s gained a new appreciation for wildlife after a summer week at the zoo. For my take, I thought I’d focus on a few numbers that stand out to me. 97 species of birds were spotted at the pond in the first species of birds were full year at Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo. Birds are close to my heart—I first spotted at the pond in the came to Lincoln Park Zoo 35 years ago to become the zoo’s curator of birds. But these first full year at Nature birds reflect the health of the ecosystem that’s established itself at Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Boardwalk after a year of growth. This welcome diversity highPark Zoo. lights how the new ecosystem can serve as a model for green space and urban conservation for cities around the globe. 14 the number of full-time Lincoln Park Zoo staff members with Ph.D.’s. That includes Senior Vice President of Conservation Programs Steve Thompson, the first zoo employee to hold that distinction and one who laid the groundwork for the excellence that’s followed. This distinguished group includes households that research Vice President of Animal Care Megan Ross, Director of Student and Teacher associate anna Czupryna Programs Leah Melber and nearly a dozen researchers who share the zoo’s commitwill visit this field season in ment to cutting-edge conservation. the region surrounding 419 households that Research Associate Anna Czupryna will visit this field season Tanzania’s Serengeti in the region surrounding Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. By surveying the area’s National Park. domestic dogs, Anna is doing more than noting how the zoo-led vaccination campaign is halting the flow of disease to park predators. She will also record how local families have been spared the scourge of rabies—even as she studies how vaccinations impact the growth of the region’s domestic-dog population. It’s consistent with our emphasis on weighing conservation by the numbers—not just species saved, but also the outcomes that follow. Of course, any look at Lincoln Park Zoo by the numbers has to end with one key sum: the 16,000 members and countless other key donors who enable every number in this issue. Without you, none of this would be possible. You have my sincere thanks—many times over. the number of full-time Lincoln Park Zoo staff members with Ph.D.’s. Kevin J. Bell
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President and CEO
FALL 2011 1
365
Days of Care
BY jAmeS SeiDLeR
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reaking down Lincoln Park Zoo by the numbers, one sum stands out: 365. Lincoln Park Zoo is free and open to all 365 days a year. That means the zoo’s exceptional animal care staff is on hand every one of those days to meet the needs of animals. Between curators, zookeepers, veterinarians, zoological managers, veterinary technicians and nutrition-center specialists, 87 full-time workers care for the zoo’s animals. They work weekends and holidays; a few are always on call for animal emergencies. Together, they enjoy the privilege of working with animals and sharing wild wonders with millions of visitors every year. So what’s the average day of animal care like at Lincoln Park Zoo? It starts at 7 a.m. and wraps up at 5 p.m. (although summer holidays and weekends go until 7 p.m.). This time is spent cleaning exhibits, making nutritious meals, crafting enrichment to encourage natural behaviors and conducting planning for future moves and introductions. “Each building has a different breakdown for how they spend the day,” says General Curator Dave Bernier. The many mouths of Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House demand full shifts of food prep. At the Antelope & Zebra Area, where grass and hay are the primary edibles, more time is spent cleaning yards, ensuring that weeds aren’t gaining a foothold and that pools used for refreshing dips are nice and clean. At every building, a favorite task is designing enrichment to engage the animals. mals and caregivers alike. Enrichment varies widely throughout the zoo piñatas are made Even the everyday duties extend out of to meet species-specific needs. While every month to enrich sight. “Nearly every exhibit has a correDeBrazza’s monkeys tease nutritious treats from the residents of the sponding off-exhibit space that has to be piñatas at the Helen Brach Primate House, Helen Brach Primate cleaned and disinfected daily,” says Bernier. Eurasian lynx stalk scents at the Kovler Lion House Animal care staff also conduct daily wellness House. “A good measure of enrichment’s effectiveness checks for every amphibian, bird, mammal and repis if animals spend more time enjoying it than the keepers tile in the collection. do developing it,” jokes Zoological Manager Laszlo Szilagyi. Visitors may not see all the work that goes into 365 days of In addition to preparation for playtime, there’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes. Insects and snails are farmed to animal care, but they enjoy the benefits with their animal provide custom meals for specialized diets. Breeding programs encounters throughout the zoo. By providing animals naturaare managed to boost efforts to restore eastern massasauga rat- listic surroundings, diets and enrichment, animal care staff tlesnakes and smooth green snakes to northeastern Illinois. extend a glimpse of the wild to the guests that make their way Fecal samples are shared with the Davee Center for here every day. They also have a lot of fun in the process. “For most of us, Epidemiology and Endocrinology to monitor animal stress levels and potential pregnancies. Operant-conditioning ses- this is our dream job,” says Bernier. “It’s great to be able to do sions with giraffes and gorillas help make care routine for ani- it, every day of the year.”
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Above: Keeper Lisa Rank hangs a piñata at the Helen Brach Primate House. Right, clockwise: The tigers and other big cats enjoy batting at boomer balls, as keeper Jill Dignan shows. Fresh greens help keep the black bears healthy, but keepers Lauren Carlson and Michael Brown-Palsgrove scatter other parts of the diet as well. 2 LiNCOLN PARK ZOO
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years of average experience for each zookeeper
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boomer balls are chewed up by the tiger every year—part of play at the Kovler Lion House
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pounds is the minimum amount of poop hauled from each black rhino yard daily
FALL 2011 3
An Ounce of Prevention
BY ChRiS mCNAmARA
here are 128 teeth to check. Sixteen legs, too, each narian learning about zoo medicine), three vet techs (who preaccessorized with five paw pads. A blood sample will pare for the procedures, complete the blood testing, monitor the have to be drawn from each of the four red wolves dur- anesthesia, assist the veterinarians and re-set the clinic for the ing these annual physicals, and a dozen tests will be conducted next day), one hospital keeper, one pre-veterinary support intern, the nutrition manager (who creates diets for every animal at the on each of the crimson vials. Vets will peer into eight nostrils, eight eyes and eight over- zoo), three nutrition-center technicians (who assemble those sized ears this morning. They’ll manipulate four tails and diets) and one pest-control coordinator. Under their watch are the animals that reside at Lincoln Park palpate four abdomens feeling for eight kidneys. All told, they’ll check nearly a dozen body systems on each of these Zoo, all of which require regular preventive care, such as physicals and injections, and responsive care, since animals get splinanesthetized animals. ters and can have medical emergencies just like we do. And when they’re done with this routine checkup Last year, the veterinary team at the C.H. on Lincoln Park Zoo’s wolves, they’ll only have “Doc” Searle, M.D. Animal Hospital on zoo the remaining 182 species left to check. grounds examined 849 individuals, from “As much as 70 percent of our time is budnaked mole rats to gorillas, checking the geted for preventive medicine,” explains pulmonary, endocrine, gastro-intestinal Kathryn Gamble, D.V.M., the Dr. Lester E. and eight other body systems for each Fisher Director of Veterinary Medicine, who drugs commonly individual. They snapped as many as eight leads Lincoln Park Zoo’s veterinary team. prescribed to humans radiographs of each animal and wrote There are 13 teammates in all—two vets that veterinary services more than 10,000 records detailing every(Gamble and Kristina Delaski, D.V.M.), one staff employ to treat thing they’d performed. veterinary resident (a post-graduate veterianimals through the zoo
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7 Just as in our bodies, giraffes’ necks contain seven vertebrae. gorillas’ hearts have four chambers, and red kangaroos have one spleen (though theirs is Y-shaped).
Clockwise from top: Eric Meyers, Tangara Cross, Chelsea Wolf, Kristina Delaski, D.V.M., Susan Moy-LaVeau, Katrina Scott, Laura Franske and Kate Szilagyi surround Dr. Lester E. Fisher Director of Veterinary Medicine Kathryn Gamble, D.V.M. Regular physicals help the veterinary services team monitor the health of everything from red wolves to Baringo giraffes.
Physicals are scheduled throughout the year for zoo species. In November, for example, the sand cats, chimpanzees, meerkats and red panda are getting their routine checkups. But when an animal needs to be sedated for another reason, Gamble schedules an examination to coincide with that procedure, minimizing the number of times an animal must be anesthetized. For example, when a Sichuan takin must be sedated for its yearly coat trim and hoof work, the vet team will simultaneously perform a complete physical. When the big goat awakens, it will have a clean bill of health and a snazzy haircut. “In every element of our work we try to be efficient,” says Gamble, who spent three years studying veterinary sciences as an undergrad, followed by four years in veterinary school and two years in graduate school for veterinary pharmacology. She celebrates her 20th year of zoo veterinary work next year. “We are always performing procedures concurrently. If one team member is working on a red wolf ’s hind limb, another can be working on the teeth.” There are 128 to check, after all.
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BY jAmeS SeiDLeR
Pounds of Produce move out of the Nutrition Center every week in special diets for animal appetites
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he shelves of the Nutrition Center are loaded with the raw ingredients that go into healthful diets for the zoo’s animals. Apples, jicama, spinach and squash sate the herbivores in the collection. Rib bones and loads of herring fulfill carnivore appetites. Specially formulated polar bear chow and flamingo feed meet specific dietary needs. And boxes of fruit flies, crickets and mealworms remind us that insectivores need to eat too. These ingredients—and the meals they end up in—are all overseen by Nutrition Manager Laura Franske. Franske, who has a master’s in animal science, uses the latest knowledge to tailor individual diets for each animal’s nutritional needs. That adds up to more than 240 diets incorporating more than 200 ingredients, satisfying everything from aardvarks to yellowspotted Amazon River turtles. While the diets are carefully engineered, they still leave room for variety. “Every animal here has a planned diet, but keepers get to choose from certain categories of food,” says Franske. “We specify certain amounts of fruits, veggies, starches and greens, but it can be up to staff if they want to offer apples, pears or mangos that day.” Franske and her staff are constantly tweaking meals to ensure they continue to meet animal needs. Sometimes that’s as simple as reducing portions when check-ups show that animals are gaining weight. (The female dwarf crocodile, McCord’s snake-necked turtles and female black howler monkey are all in a slim-down period.) But they also have to make adjustments to keep diets fresh for finicky eaters. The tiny pied tamarins at
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the Helen Brach Primate House currently receive much of the nutrition manager’s attention. “With primates, it’s a challenge to keep them interested in what we’re giving them,” she says. “We’re working to get a good rotation going to help them gain weight, including a nutritionally complete feed, fruits, greens, veggies, starch, insects and even some sugar-free cereal.” As Franske tweaks diets and conducts body-condition checks on animals, she’s also careful to monitor the latest developments in the field. “It can be a challenge,” she says. “There are so many different species to keep up with. You have to follow the literature, figure out new advances and accepted nutrient recommendations.” The Association of Zoos and Aquariums Nutrition Advisory Group helps her stay up to date. Franske also compares notes with experts at other zoos— people who share the rare responsibility of devising diets for exotic animals, about whom little may be known. While the job is demanding, it’s also rewarding when meal planning boosts animal health. Take the case of a geriatric female chimpanzee in Regenstein Center for African Apes. To help the ape maintain weight, Franske collaborated with Dr. Lester E. Fisher Director of Veterinary Medicine Kathryn Gamble, D.V.M., to add a custom protein bar to her diet. It involves special trips by Nutrition Center staff to pick up tofu, dried fruit and protein powder. These ingredients are then baked together—a rarity at the zoo, where raw food is the norm. Lots of work? Yes. But the result is a well-fed chimpanzee— and another successful meal in the Nutrition Center’s diverse cookbook.
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Fresh browse and a rainbow of veggies enhance the diets of animals including white-cheeked gibbons, western lowland gorillas and even a committed carnivore like the zoo’s polar bear.
trees per week are offered as browse to the american beavers at the Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo
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Looking for more details on zoo diets? Check out Diet Snapshots and a diets interactive at www.lpzoo.org/magazine! You can also match ingredients to the animals they feed with our Zoo Kitchen game.
diets for Lincoln Park Zoo’s animals
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Free for All…At
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$63,000 a Day
nless you happen to be a buyer for one of Chicago’s largest, most elegant restaurants, you’d likely be shocked by what you’d discover walking through the freezers at Lincoln Park Zoo’s Nutrition Center. These high-powered behemoths house the bulk of the fresh food served to the zoo’s animals. At any given time you’re likely to find exotic star fruit, dates and produce so strange you don’t know what it’s called. In other freezers you’ll find fresh fish or live insects or massive cuts of meat or even delicate flowers. (See the Nutrition Center feature on the previous spread to learn more.)
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And it’s all for the animals at Chicago’s free zoo. Admission to Lincoln Park Zoo is free, of course. It always has been, since 1868, and the zoo will remain free and open to all, every day of the year. But that doesn’t mean it’s free to operate. Quite the contrary. Lincoln Park Zoo spends $63,000 per day to keep its doors open. $63,000 each and every day. Multiply that by 365 and you get $23 million, the zoo’s annual total operating budget. In laymen’s terms—what it costs every year to run this place. “People are often surprised to hear how costly it is to operate Lincoln Park Zoo,” explains Troy Baresel, senior vice president of operations and chief financial officer, who has been with the zoo since 1987.
3,000 16,000 Buses of students make their way to the zoo every year—full of kids eager to learn in a living classroom.
Some 16,000 members and donors contributed $5.9 million to Lincoln Park Zoo in fiscal 2011. Lincoln Park Zoo is grateful to these members and donors, just as the zoo appreciates all of its 3 million annual visitors.
Baresel explains where the money comes from: *Some 35 percent of the zoo’s income is earned revenue—dollars earned at retail shops and restaurants, in the parking lot, through education programs and from rentals at Café Brauer. *Roughly 42 percent is raised revenue—donations earmarked for the annual fund, contributions for specific zoo programs and membership gifts from generous supporters like you who are devoted to keeping the zoo free and accessible to all. *The last portion comes from a fixed management fee from the Chicago Park District. And where does the money go? All sorts of places: *After employee compensation, a large chunk of funds is dedicated to facility maintenance—keeping animals ranging from tiny fish to towering giraffes in suitable environments. *Education programing receives a similarly large portion of our budget, ensuring that zoo visitors (particularly the youngest ones) are properly informed about wild creatures and the care and science that take place at Lincoln Park Zoo.
Thanks to your generous support, Chicago students—and millions of other visitors—are able to learn about wildlife in a free, living classroom.
*Our world-class conservation-and-science efforts receive funding for domestic projects taking place in Chicago and remote field projects in distant corners of the globe. *The remaining funding is targeted to the collection, from veterinary supplies for animals to their scientifically formulated diets, many of which are pulled out of those massive, glorious freezers in the Nutrition Center. “In the last 10 years our budget has gone up 40 percent,” explains Baresel. “Particularly as we’ve expanded our conservation programs and education initiatives.” Baresel does hear from the people who are surprised how costly it is to operate the zoo. But much more common are the guests who gush about the trick of maintaining this magical destination while keeping the doors free of turnstiles or tickets or admission, free to any and all who wish to roam the grounds and wonder. “On their first visit, in particular, people are often amazed,” says the CFO. FALL 2011 9
Living in
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ome of the names we use to label collections of animals are commonplace—a herd of takin, a flock of flamingos, a troop of gorillas. other titles we use sound downright strange—a
gaggle of geese, a clutch of chickens, a murder of crows. There seem to be as many names for groups of animals as there are groups of species. But perhaps wilder than these names are the adaptations some species have developed to enable them to not only live in large groups, but thrive.
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Chilean flamingos share the marsh at the Waterfowl Lagoon. In the wild, these social birds can live in flocks numbering in the tens of thousands.
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BY ChRiS mCNAmARA
Take the Chilean flamingos that crowd the Waterfowl Lagoon at Lincoln Park Zoo. Like their wild cousins, who color their titular South American nation pink, these animals prefer to live in close proximity to one another—often literally wing to wing—which increases their chances of survival should hungry eagles or a jaguar come on the hunt. Best to be in the middle of a crowd rather than hanging out solo. Or consider the case of the Bolivian gray titi monkeys, which entwine their tails when perched on tree branches. It’s adorable to Helen Brach Primate House visitors, who gush upon seeing the spectacle, but this practice of tail-entwining serves a number of purposes—twisting tails with mates conserves heat, it aids in balance and it reinforces social bonds like a long hug would for humans. “Social behavior in primates is often explored from an evolutionary perspective,” says Curator of Primates Maureen Leahy. “There are several advantages to group living—better access to food (more eyes are better to find food resources in a complex environment), protection from predators (more ears allow naked mole rats make their home for a quicker response to an encroaching predator) within regenstein Small Mammaland help in raising offspring.” reptile House, occupying an In the case of titi-monkey families, the father exhibit that boasts 12 chambers, will start carrying the young just a few days after which the little creatures use for birth, followed shortly thereafter by the newborn’s various purposes, just like we use siblings, which gives the big brothers and sisters a our homes. chance to practice their own rearing skills, which will make them better parents, which aids in their success as a species. Are there drawbacks to communal living? Sure. We squabble with spouses or smack our siblings. Animals encounter the same challenges. Male chimpanzees at Regenstein Lake Malawi cichlids occupy Center for African Apes regularly engage in the tank near the exit of dominance behaviors to challenge or reinregenstein african force hierarchical structure. Alpha male Journey—each occupying Hank will occasionally cuff Optimus when their own niche in the the youngster shows too much moxie. miniature ecosystem. But overall, the benefits of living in numbers are advantageous to most species, with rules of course. Some members of the same species will develop varied feeding behaviors in order to share a territory with a large number of others. Take the Lake Malawi cichlids, which enliven the huge tank near the exit of Regenstein African Journey. Keepers provide different types of food at different areas to sate the individuals who live near the top of the tank and the bottom-dwellers. “Fish and other aquatic animals have developed a high level of tolerance,” explains General Curator Dave Bernier. “One fish can be in another’s territory as long as it does not compete for the same food.” Competition for breeding is another component of animal communities. A fascinating social study takes place every day in the dwarf mongoose society at Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House. In this crowded matriarchal society, only the alpha female has the capacity to produce young that survive to adulthood. Since this individual has exhibited excellent fitness to rise to her position, those corresponding genes get passed on to future generations. In times of plenty, other high-ranking females might also breed, capitalizing on abundant resources to increase a population’s numbers. Increasing those numbers is the number one goal of all living creatures, Chilean flamingos, Bolivian gray titi monkeys and whether they’re solitary or social.
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chimpanzees are among the zoo species displaying unique adaptations for social living.
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n launching Project ChimpCARE at Lincoln Park Zoo, Steve Ross, Ph.D., assistant director of the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, knew there was a substantial population of chimpanzees in private hands in the United States. What he didn’t know—what no one knew—was exactly how many chimpanzees lived outside accredited zoos and sanctuaries. “It was clear there were hundreds of chimpanzees living as pets, performers and at roadside zoos around the country, but no
COUNTING Up to
Chimpanzee Conservation one seemed to have an accurate count or keep track of these individuals in any systematic way,” says the scientist. To remedy that, the zoo launched a two-year initiative to survey chimpanzees living in the United States. Supported by a grant from the Arcus Foundation, Ross and his partners visited 35 sites throughout the country, compiling a database that recorded not only the numbers of the privately held chimpanzee population, but also how they were housed and managed.
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Despite the fact that chimpanzees are an endangered species, no federal law prevents their private ownership. (The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is evaluating whether to close this loophole, thanks in part to Project ChimpCARE advocacy.) As a result, nearly 65% of the U.S. population resides in biomedical labs or roadside zoos or lives as pets or performers. By focusing on the ultimate goal of sustainable care for all chimpanzees, Project ChimpCARE engaged owners who might otherwise be reluctant to participate in the census. “We now know where virtually every chimpanzee in the United States is housed, and the numbers are eye-opening,” says Ross. “There are more than 2,000 chimpanzees in this country— more than twice as many as live in the wild forests of Tanzania.” With the Project ChimpCARE datachimpanzees moved to base established, Lincoln Park Zoo is sustainable homes in zoos launching another ambitious two-year and sanctuaries with the plan. Building on the survey, Ross and support of Project collaborator Hani Freeman, Ph.D., will ChimpCare. study how the environment in which a chimpanzee is raised affects its long-term development. “Many experts suspect that chimpanzees reared as pets and performers grow up to be socially compromised individuals when trying to integrate with chimpanzees in zoos and sanctuaries,” says Ross. “However, there’s actually chimpanzees in gombe very little data on the subject.” National Park, where Lincoln Park Zoo’s broad scientific expertise Jane goodall did will be harnessed for the effort. The behavior, her groundbreaking cognition and even hormone levels of chimresearch. panzees from a range of backgrounds will be exam-
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ined to determine how early living conditions impact later behavior. This two-year plan to increase our understanding of chimpanzees will be closely linked to Fisher Center efforts to raise awareness about the need to conserve them. Past research by Ross has shown that peochimpanzees in ple are less likely to regard chimpanzees as private hands in the endangered when the animals are seen in United States. Learn more unnatural surroundings in popular media. at www.chimpcare.org! More recently, a public-perception survey stemming from Project ChimpCARE showed that images of chimpanzees sharing space with a person made viewers far less likely to realize the great apes are endangered in the wild. It’s an important finding, particularly given that chimpanzees are still inappropriately used as “actors” in a range of movies, television shows and ads. “The first stage of Project ChimpCARE brought some important advancements, but we still need to improve care and raise awareness about the need for chimpanzee care and conservation,” says Ross. “This new project will strengthen our ability to do just that.”
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Chuckie and the other chimpanzees at Regenstein Center for African Apes enjoy healthy social groups and surroundings. Project ChimpCARE is trying to extend sustainable care to every chimpanzee in the United States.
Chimps Should Be Chimps To raise awareness of Project ChimpCare’s efforts to provide sustainable care for all chimpanzees, Steve ross, Ph.D., is looking to a younger audience. The assistant director of the Lester e. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of apes has created an electronic children’s book, “Chimps Should Be Chimps,” which will be available in the iTunes app Store in November. The story centers on an old chimpanzee and his long road to a comfortable life at the zoo. “This book gives us a chance to talk about the important issue of chimpanzees in entertainment in a safe, engaging way,” says the scientist. “I think kids and parents alike will enjoy interacting with the story and learning facts about chimpanzees and the way they should be treated.”
A FREE, Interactive iPad Children’s Book Old Poe and granddaughter Lulu share how chimps should be free to be themselves, from chimp head to chimp toe! Look for this release in the App Store.
Tracking Life Over Acres
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he biologists at Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo have a wide range of tools for tracking the life establishing itself in the new urban oasis. Binoculars help them identify birds nesting high in the branches of the island. Dip nets let them pull larvae and dragonfly nymphs from the pond for a quick ID. And a field receiver tracks signals from transmitter-equipped painted turtles as they explore their new home. As Nature Boardwalk flourished with its second summer of growth, scientists and visitors were rewarded with new views of pond wildlife. “There were lots of exciting sightings this year,” says Coordinator of Wildlife Management Vicky Hunt. “We noted 14 species of butterflies this summer along with 22 kinds of dragonflies and damselflies. Everything from a common map turtle to a peregrine falcon made its way to the site.” Perhaps the most exotic sighting of the season was a least bittern. This secretive heron species typically avoids humans, making it a rare urban encounter. But in late June a least bittern spent several days in the reeds at Nature Boardwalk’s west end, thrilling birders and providing a tangible reminder of how the transformed site has welcomed wildlife. Black-crowned night herons also returned to Nature Boardwalk for another successful breeding season. Endangered in Illinois, the birds have returned to the area to nest since 2007, producing hundreds of chicks during this span. This summer was another strong one for the species. “During July, the peak month, we counted more than 60 fledgings exploring the area around the pond each day,” says Hunt. These birds have moved on, but biologists continue to monitor the pond ecosystem, tracking birds that are passing through for fall migration. Nature Boardwalk may be most active in summer, but every season offers rich rewards.
Painted turtles and a least bittern are among the wildlife spotted at Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo.
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painted turtles have been tracked via radio since last summer. Keep up with the sightings with our Nature Boardwalk blog. Visit www.lpzoo.org/natureboardwalk for the latest updates!
Late Bloomers Remnants Dazzle When Green Departs
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e don’t have majestic mountains. We’re not situated alongside a roaring ocean here in the Midwest. But we do get our colors each fall, those glorious reds and purples and golds that splatter our landscapes and warm our hearts as the temperature drops. “The leaf color around here in October and November is great,” gushes Brian Houck, Lincoln Park Zoo’s horticulturist, stating the obvious to any native Chicagoan. But then Houck explains the process behind those colors, and it’s (almost) as interesting as Mother Nature’s color show itself. The reds and purples and golds don’t magically appear in autumn. They are remnants left behind after the green has been sucked out of leaves and sent down to plants’ roots, where the chlorophyll can be stored until spring. “Fall is when plants conserve their resources,” explains Houck. “What remains in the leaves are the things the plants weren’t able to metabolize— colorful pigments that are too complex for plants to break down.” Whatever the reason, we’re lucky to get the show. Houck urges color-hunters to look closer…to pry their eyes from the leaves in the skies adorning the zoo’s trees to spot the seas of little blue stem and big blue stem (also known as turkey foot) around Nature Boardwalk, which roll like dry, rusty waves when the wind blows. “Not many grasses turn these great colors in the fall,” says the horticulturist, adding that wind often serves as a pollinator for grass. Within the zoo proper, dozens of lavender fall-blooming crocus pop Lincoln Park Zoo is graced around the Kovler Lion House each autumn. The petals shimmer with an with more than 1,000 species iridescent quality. of plants and flowers, tended At different spots around the zoo, grounds are splattered in fall with to by a staff of more than 100 white, pink and red hibiscus and yellow grapevine, the latter of which gets employees and volunteers. used as browse to feed hungry animals, for whom the rich colors elicit hunger rather than admiration. Thousands of bees flit among these plants, ensuring they’ll meet their yearly pollinating quota before frost hits. Likewise, there is a buzz of activity among the volunteer gardeners, those dozens of good-hearted green thumbs who graciously donate their skills throughout this season of color, knowing that a season of white is coming, and beyond that, another spring, carrying with it a fresh green palate on which nature will paint. seven-son flowers (actually small trees) bloom each fall in the landscaping around regenstein Center for african apes, boasting seven tiny, white flowers on each whorl.
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Years of Recovery
Black-footed ferrets were thought to be extinct—twice. But the discovery of a last population near Meeteetse, Wyoming 30 years ago jumpstarted a recovery program that has reintroduced 2,600 of the predators back to the wild. On Thursday, November 17, Lincoln Park Zoo will share this amazing story of recovery with Wine & Wildlife: BlackFooted Ferrets—Back from the Brink. Join us for a glass of wine as you learn how Lincoln Park Zoo continues to contribute to the resurgence of the black-footed ferret. Rachel Santymire, Ph.D., director of the Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology will share the science that’s gone into this groundbreaking breeding and reintroduction
Save the Date!
campaign. Vice President for Education Rachel Bergren will highlight how Lincoln Park Zoo is enlisting Montana’s Northern Cheyenne Reservation as partners in conservation, using teacher training and hands-on fieldwork to build relationships and boost the species’ recovery. Wine & Wildlife: Black-Footed Ferrets— Back from the Brink Thursday, November 17, 6–8 p.m. $40 ($35 for members) Register at www.lpzoo.org/wine
November 12 Zoo Vets Third–fourth graders will see how zoo vets diagnose and treat exotic animals.
November 25–27, December 2–4, 9–11, 16–23, 26–31 and Januar y 1 ZooLights Presented by ComEd and Charter One Join us to see ice-carving, Santa and more than 1 million beautiful lights.
November 18 Sleep Under the Skyscrapers— Family Overnight Grab your nighttime gear and join us for an indoor overnight adventure!
December 10 Mystery in the Zoo: Africa’s Buffet First–second graders will solve a mystery involving the diverse diets of African animals.
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animals served as the founding population for all black-footed ferrets living today. 1,000 black-footed ferrets now live in the wild.
December 16 Friday Night Lights: North-Pole Party 4–5-year-olds: join us for this “cool” party and then explore ZooLights with your family!
Lear n more about each pr ogr am—and register —at w w w.lpzoo.or g/ calendar.
wild file Bringing in Bushbabies Recent visitors to Regenstein Small Mammal–Reptile House may have noticed especially large eyes staring back at them. A male and female Moholi bushbaby have taken up residence in the baobab tree at the building’s midpoint. Native to central and southern Africa, these small primates climb the forest in search of tree gums and insects to feed on. The nocturnal species’ large eyes are thought to assist its ability to see—and hunt—at night. In the wild, dominant males establish territories to facilitate breeding with adjacent females. While the resident male lacks competition, animal care staff hope breeding will be in the cards. “The zoo population for these guys is pretty small,” says Curator Diane Mulkerin. “We would welcome some new arrivals.”
Horns and Humps The Antelope & Zebra Area welcomed some new members to the herd this summer. First up—a 1-year-old Bactrian camel, who joined three females in the caravan at the zoo’s south end in mid-July. The new camel is smaller than his exhibitmates, although he’s been eating plenty of browse to make up the size gap. All the camels enjoy grazing their exhibit, munching any mulberry leaves or grapevines within reach of their long necks. Just north of the camels, the Sichuan takin also saw a new male join three resident females. Like all introductions at the zoo, this merger was carefully choreographed. The 5-year-old from Alabama’s Montgomery Zoo spent several weeks in the exhibit next to his new herd, enabling the animals to gradually acclimate to one another. The wait paid off as the animals were smoothly introduced—a boost for potential breeding down the road.
The early results provided a glimpse into wild behavior. “Since release, many snakes have remained close to the release site, a desirable outcome for a reintroduction project,” says Reintroduction Biologist Allison Sacerdote, Ph.D. “The transmittered snakes have been tracked to small burrows and ant mounds following cold nights. During the day, they spend a lot of time at the base of thick clumps of grasses, goldenrods and bergamots.”
Restoring Smooth Green Snakes
Flashy Feathers
This summer, Lincoln Park Zoo and the Lake County Forest Preserve District moved forward in restoring smooth green snakes to northeastern Illinois. This vibrant, insect-eating snake declined in the region as its habitat was converted to housing and agriculture. Along with restoring habitat to welcome snakes, the forest preserve district turned to the zoo to jumpstart a breeding program to boost their numbers. Thanks to this program—and the rescue of a communal smooth green snake nest in an area slated for development—more than 80 snakes hatched at the zoo last summer. Some were released to the wild then. The rest spent the winter growing behind the scenes at the Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo to test the hypothesis that a sound “head start” at the zoo would help them thrive in the wild upon release. That theory got its first application this summer as biologists from the zoo’s Urban Wildlife Institute released 18 snakes into Lake County forest preserves. The majority of the reptiles were equipped with tiny transmitters, enabling scientists to track them for three weeks—until the snakes shed their skins.
Cool colors seemed to be the common theme for new birds this summer. A European white stork kicked things off by breaking out of his shell at Regenstein Birds of Prey Exhibit in May. (While his bill still shows some of the black coloration of a juvenile, it’s gradually shifting to the red hue of his parents.) At Regenstein African Journey, a male blue-bellied roller joined a pair of red-billed hornbills in the Dry Thorn Forest exhibit. Native to western and central Africa, this striking species feeds on insects found in the wooded savannas and forest edges where it lives. In the McCormick Bird House, blue-crowned motmots began to perch in the Free Flight Area, where they eat fruit and live insects. The lesser green broadbill breeding pair hatched a record seven chicks in three different clutches in the Tropics Exhibit. Finally, a black-necked stilt chick hatched at the end of July, adding soft down and long legs to the Seashore Exhibit. “This is the first hatch for this species at Lincoln Park Zoo, which is very exciting,” says Hope B. McCormick Curator of Birds Colleen Lynch.
Blue-crowned motmots stand out among recent colorful additions that include a blue-bellied roller, black-necked stilt and European white stork. Moholi bushbabies, a Bactrian camel and Sichuan takin are other new arrivals.
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news of the zoo
Women’s Board President Abby Zanarini and Zoo Ball 2011 co-chairs Rosemary Jones, Kirsten Rider and Susan Erler enjoy the glamour of Zoo Ball: Hollywood & Vines Presented by Guggenheim. Guests packed the South Lawn for another Jammin’ at the Zoo. Chicago Park District Director of Natural Resources Adam Schwerner, event chair and Gardens and Sculptures Committee member Margo Morris and Senior Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer Troy Baresel were among those enjoying Wine & Wildflowers.
Zoo Grants Lincoln Park Zoo recently won two significant, highly competitive national grants to support science education locally and abroad. The support was awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), American Association of Museums (AAM) and the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The zoo will receive $149,295 through the IMLS Museums for America grant program to develop a new fleet of six mobile learning stations. The carts will be designed to create a dynamic guest experience and foster inquiry-based learning. The zoo was awarded $85,000 through AAM and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ Museums & Community Collaborations Abroad program to develop a collaborative youth program between Chicago and Niamey, Niger. “Science education is a crucial part of our mission, and these grants will provide the assets necessary to deliver highquality educational experiences that have the potential to impact thousands of people,” said Rachel Bergren, Lincoln Park Zoo’s vice president of Education.
Event Recaps The past few months have been exciting ones at Lincoln Park Zoo. Here’s a quick recap of recent zoo happenings: *The Women’s Board transformed the zoo into a Hollywood scene on July 8 for Zoo Ball: Hollywood & Vines Presented by Guggenheim. The event, co-chaired by Rosemary Jones, Susan Erler and Kirsten Rider, brought the glamour of Golden Age Hollywood to almost 1,000 attendees and raised more than $1.1 million to provide critical support for Lincoln Park Zoo. Generous sponsors included presenting sponsor Guggenheim along with BMW Chicagoland and
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Northwest Indiana BMW Centers and J.N. Pritzker/Tawani Foundation/Pritzker Military Library. *The three Jammin’ at the Zoo concerts thrilled rock fans, who partied with OneRepublic, Sugar Ray and Colbie Caillat, who ended the concert season with a sold-out show. Thanks to sponsors United, 101.9FM the Mix, Pepsi and Mini of Chicago. *With support from Clif Kid, Whole Foods and Lifeway Kefir, Harvest Days again entertained families in midSeptember with a pumpkin patch and lively entertainment. On the second night of Harvest Days, the Auxiliary Board hosted its inaugural FarmFest, where adults chased away the end-of-summer-moos with handcrafted beers and a mechanical bull. Thanks to FarmFest sponsors Emily Sachs Wong: Luxury Chicago Real Estate, SmallBar Fullerton, Two Brothers Brewing Co., Van Duzer Vineyards and Merisant. *At the peak of the zoo’s bloom, Lincoln Park Zoo’s Garden & Sculpture Committee and event chair Margo Morris hosted Wine & Wildflowers, a celebration of the zoo’s gardens. Some 165 guests sipped wine, nibbled treats and marveled at Mother Nature’s majesty. They dined on heirloom tomatoes and blueberry-bread pudding while admiring the look and aroma of sweet coneflowers and leopard plants.
Planning Prowess Kudos to Lincoln Park Zoo’s Senior Manager of Events Erin Dahl for being named Association/Nonprofit Planner of the Year at the BizBash Chicago Expo in August. “BizBash is a leading events publication that is very influential within our industry,” says Director of Sales and Events Dana Jussaume. “This is a wonderful honor, as Erin was nominated alongside some tough competition. I’m happy to see that her hard work and creative event planning for the zoo did not go unnoticed.”
field note Bactrian Camel Camelus bactrianus We all know that camels have humps. Most of us are aware that those humps are fat deposits, which the lumbering mammals can access in times of scarcity, like caloric gas tanks for long trips across the desert. And a few of us might know that dromedary camels, native to Africa and the Middle East, have one hump while the Bactrian camels, native to China and Mongolia (and exhibited at Lincoln Park Zoo) have two round mounds. But why is that? Why do both male and female Bactrian camels boast the double hump? Necessity is the mother of invention, goes the saying. One theory is that Bactrian camels rely on that double-load of resources to survive in their harsh world, where temperatures can swing from triple-digit heat to subzero cold throughout the year. Wild Bactrian camels live in herds of as many as 30 members (60 humps!) led by a lone breeding male. Juvenile Bactrian camels mature around five years of age, and individuals can live for decades. Eyes are protected with lashes that can stretch 3 inches long, while two nostrils can pinch shut to keep out sand. Because of their efficient metabolism and those lifesaving humps of stored fat, Bactrian camels can go for months without food or water. (“They will eat almost anything,” explains General Curator Dave Bernier. “Fish, carrion, dried vegetation. Whatever will sustain them, they’ll eat.”) Bernier adds that Bactrian camels can live off liquid from plants, and their nostrils and lips can funnel and repurpose moisture in the air they exhale. When these camels do drink, they can consume 30 gallons of water in a matter of minutes. As the energy-supplying fat is used up, camels’ humps tend to flop over like spent juice pouches. Of course, conditions are much nicer here at Lincoln Park Zoo. Temperatures don’t swing as wildly as they do in the Gobi Desert. Daily meals ensure that the humps remain fairly sturdy atop the four Bactrian camels exhibited in the Antelope & Zebra Area, though they tend to wobble when these urban desert dwellers roam throughout their yard, a giggle-inducing spectacle that guests enjoy 365 days a year.
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membership matters
days of work go into installing ZooLights
Be sure to join us for the brilliance of ZooLights Presented by ComEd and Charter One, starting November 25!
ZooLights…By the Numbers We assume you’re familiar with ZooLights Presented by ComEd and Charter One, Lincoln Park Zoo’s annual holiday celebration. So we thought we’d preview this year’s fun by looking at the numbers: Days of ZooLights—24 (November 25–27, December 2–4, December 9–11, December 16–23, December 26–January 1) Days it takes to set up ZooLights—90 Number of lights—2 million-plus Number of attendees—274,370 last year Number of sponsors—Four generous companies (ComEd, Charter One, Pepsi and United) Number of dollars it costs to visit the Members Lounge during ZooLights—0
Members-Only Morning On August 13, Lincoln Park Zoo hosted its first Members-Only Morning, with the north side of the zoo opening early exclusively for members. Members greeted the animals as they started their days, saw meerkats and birds make a breakfast of insects, decorated the polar-bear window, chatted with keepers, learned about conservation projects and participated in other fun activities. “We are thrilled that so many members joined us and experienced the zoo in a whole new way,” says Associate Director of Membership Joanne Jacobson. “We’re looking forward to seeing members at the next Members-Only Morning in April 2012.”
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Zoo Safari Tours Free Lincoln Park Zoo tours for Safari/Zoologist-level members and above
Safari and Zoologist-level members and above are invited to Zoo Safari Tours, an exciting new series of free guided tours of the zoo. You will find information on upcoming tours and links to registration forms at www.lpzoo.og/zoosafari, which will be updated as new tours are added or as current tours fill up. If you have questions about these tours or your membership, please contact the membership team at the Membership Hotline (312-742-2322, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.) or members@lpzoo.org. As always, we thank you for your membership! Tour Schedule: Saturday, November 19 9:30 a.m. All About Primates (Adults Only) 3 p.m. Bedtime for All (Family Friendly– SAVE adults and children 5 and up)
THE DATE!
Sunday, December 11 10 a.m. Back from the Brink (Adults Only) 4:30 p.m. Bedtime for All (Family Friendly–adults and children 5 and up)
your story In looking at Lincoln Park Zoo by the numbers, we decided to ask some of our visitors to share their experiences. Here’s what they told us! Kids Come for Zoo Fun I am a nanny for three different families. I’m at the zoo about six or seven times a month during the summer, about two or three times the rest of the year. I love that we can see the animals up close. We always start at the Main Barn in the Farm-in-the-Zoo Presented by John Deere. The cows, the piglets and the wind tunnel are a few of our favorites. At the main zoo we ALWAYS have to see the Gorillas (We LOVE JoJo!!) Our other must sees are the polar bear, Regenstein African Journey and the bears. Linda Bonk
Enjoying the Animals
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I thought I’d share these funny pictures of two of my visitors make it to children at the zoo in spring 2011. I’ll bet we make it to the zoo every year the zoo 20 times a year, maybe more. It feels like home. And the most wonderful thing is, each visit is different... today we might see the red panda, tomorrow we might hear the lion roar! My children’s favorite spot is Regenstein Small Mammal– Reptile House. Katie Barthelemy
A Favorite Place I live in Lincoln Park on Commonwealth, very, very close to the zoo. I try to make it at least once a week and sometimes several times a week. As a public defender, I’m in court every day, and it can be very, very stressful. Walking through the zoo, looking at the cute animals and seeing the beautiful flowers/plants makes me happy and less stressed. When I’m at the zoo I forget about my bad day and leave with a smile on my face. My favorites are the meerkats, aardvark (when she’s out, even though she stinks), apes, monkeys, the beavers, McCormick Bird House and otters. At the Farm-in-the-Zoo I like the big bunny, the piglets (I miss lucky Will) and the sheep. I love living so close to the zoo. It’s hard for me to get there during the week since I work full time. However, when the baby piglets are born I make a point to get to work early so I can leave early before the zoo closes! My boyfriend and I had our first date at Lincoln Park Zoo. We met outside by the conservatory and spent two amazing hours walking, talking and falling in love at the zoo. I want to get married at Cafe Brauer. My favorite spot in the city is by the pond on the patio! Kelly Moore Catherine Bransfield is one of five kids who love visiting the zoo with nanny Linda Bonk. Meg and Michael Barthelemy watch the seals dive during a spring visit. Kelly Moore uses the zoo to relax after long days as a public defender.
Non-profit organization U.S. Postage PaID Lincoln Park Zoo
Your membership supports everything we do, from animal care to publishing Lincoln Park Zoo magazine. Thank you. Po Box 14903 Chicago, IL 60614 www.lpzoo.org
holiday Giving As we approach the holiday season of giving, we ask that you remember Lincoln Park Zoo, which remains free and open to all, 365 days a year. There are a number of ways to support the zoo you love:
Stay Connected! Lincoln Park Zoo magazine is the best source for in-depth updates on the zoo’s mission of conservation and care. But it’s not the only way to learn about the zoo’s world of wildlife. Discover what’s new at the zoo—and what your support makes possible.
join the Fun What’s on the menu for the latest Diet Snapshot? Which wild behavior is being shared in the latest Post from a Curator? Follow Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the zoo blogs to experience each day at the zoo as it’s happening! We Want To Hear From You! Send your feedback on Lincoln Park Zoo magazine to magazine@lpzoo.org
*Give the gift of Membership *ADOPT an Animal *Purchase an item from our Wish List *Make a contribution to the Annual Fund
Zoomail Shares What’s New Who’s the newest baby to emerge from the den? When’s the next opportunity to Sleep Under the Skyscrapers? Subscribe to our ZooMail digest to receive the latest animal updates, program offerings and more in your inbox! Visit www.lpzoo.org today to start receiving ZooMail.
Visit www.lpzoo.org/support to learn more. Don’t miss the holiday insert for great gift ideas!
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