Summer Fun at Lincoln Park Zoo

Left: Staying put for one species, such as the playful meerkats at Regenstein African Journey, is a solid recipe for zoo fun. Above, left-to-right:
Visitors can greet the goats at the Farm-in-the-Zoo Presented by John Deere, observe gorilla enrichment at Regenstein Center for African Apes or
learn how the zoo is conserving red wolves and African lions. Below: A Conservation Close-up with the African wild dogs highlights how scientists
are working to save this endangered species.
Meet An Animal
Animal ambassadors provide an exciting way to experience the
wonders of wildlife, from tip to tail. Stop by Regenstein Small
Mammal-Reptile House to meet the Animal of the Hour (11 a.m.,
2 p.m.) or drop by the Farm-in-the-Zoo Presented by John Deere
to greet the goats (10:30 a.m.–4 p.m.). The scales of a ball python
or fur of a goat offer unforgettable lessons on animal adaptations.
Morning, Noon and Night
Different times of day offer different experiences at Lincoln
Park Zoo. Morning meals make for active mammals while noontime
sun can encourage napping, especially for animals in outdoor
exhibits. Mix up when you visit, and you might find new sights
each time. Of course, behavior is species-specific. As General
Curator Megan Ross, Ph.D., says, “Lions can sleep up to 20 hours
a day—noontime doesn’t mean much to them.”
Conservation Close-Ups
A world of wildlife can be found in the zoo’s 35 acres, but new
Education programs highlight conservation efforts taking place
across the globe. Head to the African wild dog exhibit to learn
how zoo scientists are conserving one of Africa’s signature—and
vanishing—species (1 p.m.). Visit Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo
to find out how new red wolf pups are helping the species howl
back from the brink of extinction (3:30 p.m.). Take a trip to the
renovated rhino yard to find out how the expanded digs are part
of the zoo’s plan to help this endangered species recover (10 a.m.,
3 p.m.).
Pick a Theme
Given that the zoo features a world of wildlife—more than 200
species from seven continents—a fun way to focus your visit can be
to organize it around a theme. Visit all of the Australian animals in
our collection, learning how birds and marsupials have adapted to
life on the island continent. Map out the connections between predator
(African lions, for instance) and prey (Grant’s gazelles). Our
online fact sheets provide plenty of info about the animals at the
zoo—visit www.lpzoo.org/animals to learn more before you visit.
Experience Enrichment
Animals throughout the zoo participate in operant-conditioning
sessions to help them participate in their own care. In these
voluntary interactions, keepers use positive reinforcement to cultivate
desired behaviors, such as gorillas presenting specific body
parts for examination or gray seals moving to another area to facilitate
veterinary care. Observe firsthand how keepers engage animals
with conditioning sessions at Regenstein Center for African Apes
(1:30 p.m.) or the Kovler Sea Lion Pool (10:30 a.m., 2 p.m.).
Stay Put
It’s tempting to fit in as many animals as you can on your visit,
but the richest rewards come from spending a long time at one
exhibit. “The more time you spend with an animal, the better you
can understand how they interact with their surroundings and
how they might act in the wild,” says Ross. Exhibits and enrichments
are designed to encourage natural behaviors, whether it’s
meerkats digging in their soft substrate at Regenstein African
Journey or white-cheeked gibbons swinging through the branches
at the Helen Brach Primate House. Patient visitors are often
rewarded with spectacular sights.