The biggest acquisition (literally and figuratively) here is a pair of Pacific walruses from the Moscow Zoo. Both 5-year-old Bulka and 7-year-old Basilla tip the scale at about 1,100 pounds-and they`re still growing. Longtime Brookfield resident Olga weighed more than 3,000 pounds in her prime. (When Olga died in 1988 at 27, she was the oldest of her kind in captivity.)
Both Bulka and Basilla were orphaned as pups in the Chuckchi Sea near the Bering Strait off eastern Siberia. Both suffer from a chronic sinus condition, and they`re treated regularly by the zoo`s veterinarians.
How do the vets get these gargantuan walruses to go where they want them to? They ask, then cross their fingers. But keepers had to learn simple commands in Russian since English language classes for walruses weren`t offered in Moscow. The walruses can be found just outside the Seven Seas Panorama on the east side of the park.
Some other new residents are some of the youngest. On March 7, Brooke-a black rhinoceros-gave birth to a 70-pound bundle of joy, now named Akili.
The birth of the endangered black rhino is a significant one in the zoo world. Sadly, unless poaching of the rhino is eliminated, zoos may one day become a last refuge for all species of rhinos. According to recent estimates, only 3,000 wild black rhinos remain on earth.
Zoos have already become the last refuge for the Micronesian kingfisher, a kind of bird now extinct in its native habitat on the island of Guam. The entire future of the species hinges on a chick born May 3 at Brookfield and other kingfisher chicks at other zoos. The Micronesian kingfisher can be seen at the Aquatic Bird House.
In the South American rain forest in Tropic World, you might catch a glimpse of five squirrel monkey babies born to five different mothers in April and May.
Also in May, a pair of Siberian ibex, a kind of goat, were born. They can be seen scaling their mountain habitat on the west side of the park.
In other changes, you may (or may not) be able to see the zoo`s reticulated giraffe in an outdoor yard east of the Giraffe House. The Giraffe House is closed for construction, while it`s being transformed into a re-creation of an African kopje (a rocky outcropping) that will house several kinds of small African mammals, birds and reptiles.
Gift shops
The Brookfield Zoo`s main gift shop near the south gate has one of the largest plush collections in Chicago with more than 1,500 pieces, featuring dozens of species. ”We even get calls for special requests,” says merchandise manager Sharon Kutska. ”For instance, we recently received several calls for plush aardvarks.”
The stuffed animals range in price from $1.50 to $600 for a life-sized plush leopard. Last year, the shop sold 81,000.
With 3,000 square feet at their disposal, Brookfield has one of the largest zoo gift shops in the nation. In addition, there`s a smaller marine mammal theme shop at the Seven Seas Panorama.
The shop will not sell any product made with an animal byproducts. And they even design much of their own merchandise-for instance, T-shirts, which, next to plush animals, are the most popular gift shop item.
Unusual merchandise includes elephant-head carvings; they`re a part of a signed and numbered series. Each carving sells for $485. But by far the most extravagant item ($3,500) is a bronze replica of the outdoor sculpture located on the zoo grounds at Seven Seas of a pair of dolphins playfully chasing a sea turtle.
Next to the main gift shop is the largest zoo bookstore in the nation with nearly 800 titles. Books range from animal textbooks to subjects you may not find at your typical downtown bookstore. Librarian Mary Rabb says she fulfills requests from all over the country. ”If a book is still in print, I`ll get it,” she says.
All zoo members receive a 10 percent discount at the shops. (Family membership is $40; individual membership is $25).
Food
Safari Stop: This, the largest restaurant at the zoo, is located on the east side. Munch on hot dogs or French fries cut into animal shapes. Seating is both indoors and outdoors.
Safari Outback: Located just outside Safari Stop. Elephantine-sized 1/3-pound burgers, bratwurst and Italian sausage all are grilled to order. A new item this summer is the grilled chicken breast sandwich. All grilled sandwiches include cole slaw or potato salad.
Bear Gardens Cafe: Appropriately located outside the bear grottos. This Italian-themed market features Italian beef and sausage and meatball sandwiches, fresh baked pizzas and Italian ices.
Nyani Lodge: Deli-style sandwiches and a trio of salad choices are the featured fare at Nyani Lodge overlooking Baboon Island, near the park`s south gate. Nachos, popcorn and the grilled chicken breast sandwich also are available.
Entrees range from $1.49 to $3.49.
Special events
Friday: Affie the African elephant is hosting her 21st birthday party at 10:30 a.m. Both Affie and her guests will be treated to birthday cake.
Saturday: Rhino Walk is a cooperative effort of 40 North American zoos and aquariums, led by Kenyan conservationist Michael Werikhe to raise public consciousness and money for endangered animals in general and, most urgently, the black rhinoceros. The three-mile walk begins at 9 a.m. at North Riverside Park Mall (7501 W. Cermak Rd.) in North Riverside and continues to the zoo. Registration is $12. The first 500 registrants receive free rhino books. Those pledging $25 or more get a commemorative T-shirt. Prizes will be awarded to the participating walkers with the most pledges. Participating walkers receive free zoo admission on the day of the walk. To register, call 708-485-0263.
Aug. 3-4: Teddy Bear Picnic begins with breakfast in the Safari Stop Restaurant at 9 a.m. The special all-you-can-eat-like-a-bear buffet is $9.75 for adults, $6.75 for children 3 to 11 (children under 3 are free). The Teddy Bear Parade kicks off at 1 p.m. And Teddy Bear veterinarians will tend to sick stuffed teddies at the Quickwell Clinic.
Special programs
Backstage at the Zoo: Ever wonder what`s going on beyond the zoo walls in the places the public doesn`t normally see? That`s where many animals get away from the human crowds and where the keepers prepare their meals. In 1983, Brookfield quietly added a handful of behind-the-scenes tours, called Backstage at the Zoo, to its educational series.
The response was overwhelming: The tours quickly sold out. That`s one reason why a total of 12 Backstage tours are now being offered.
The tours are offered at various times on Saturday mornings and early afternoons through early August; all last about an hour. Registrants must be 8 years old or older (for the Reptile House tour, registrants must be 12 and if under 16 must be accompanied by an adult). Tickets are $12, $7 for children 8 to 15. Reservations are required. Several tours already are sold out. But the following tours may still be available by the time you read this-but hurry. However, if the tour you`d like does sell out, it will be offered again in the fall.
– Australian Walkabout: You don`t need the wits of Crocodile Dundee for this walk Down Under. You`ll learn about Brookfield`s conservation efforts in Australia and how the knowledge gained overseas is used to tend marsupials in captivity.
– Addax to Zebra Safari: Hoof along the trail of assorted antelope species. You`ll also see camels and zebras and learn about the long-range plans the zoo has to display African hoofstock.
– Behind the Bear Grottos: How do you feed a polar bear? Get a keeper`s-eye view of the park`s historic bear grottos.
– Perching Backstage Birds: See hatchlings and/or about-to-be-hatched eggs. Also visit the bird commissary.
– Introducing Bats: These mammals are perhaps the most unfairly maligned animal on earth. Learn why bats are the world`s best defense against being overrun by insects.
– The Other Side of Tropic World: Tropic World is the zoo`s re-creation of three of the world`s rain forests. You`ll learn why and how the football stadium-sized exhibit was built. Keepers will reveal how several species are able to live together in a single exhibit in harmony.
– Reptile House Revealed: Admittedly, a lot of zoo visitors don`t want to know the secrets of snakes, lizards, frogs and toads. But if you need to know their secrets, this is your chance.
– Hurray for Rhinos!: This is a new family program added to the education series this summer. Parents or grandparents are invited to participate with children 3 to 5 years old. The adult pretends to be a mommy or daddy rhino. Then, the kids pretend to be young rhinos. Then all the budding rhinos walk over to the Pachyderm House to watch the real mom and baby interact. Hurray for Rhinos! is offered this Sunday as well as June 22 and 23 from 9:20 to 11 a.m., and this Saturday and June 22 from 1 to 2:40 p.m. The fee is $7.50 for person.
To register for either Backstage at the Zoo or Hurray for Rhinos! call 708-485-0263.
What: Brookfield Zoo
Where: 1st Avenue at 31st Street, Brookfield; 708-485-0263
When: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
How much: $2.75 (children 3-11 and seniors, $1); dolphin show $2 additional
(children 3-11 and seniors, $1.50); parking $3
Birds, babies at Lincoln Park
The renovated McCormick Bird House is now open for business after a two-year, $2.8 million renovation. The spruced-up bird homes are a study in bird philosophy. The idea is to promote nesting, especially in endangered species.
Running water, temperature and light controls all help make the birds as comfortable as they may be in the wild. For instance, to promote naturalistic behavior, meal worms are hidden in the sand for the seashore birds to forage for.
Many avian species are so at home in their zoo habitats that a glass or wire barrier between the visitors and the birds isn`t necessary. But you can see birds flying off all around you in the free flight area.
Cheetah births are rare in zoos. The endangered cat is finicky about breeding in captivity. But for the second year in a row, a litter was born
(May 31) at Lincoln Park.
”Sure, we`re proud of our management technique,” says Mark Rosenthal, the zoo`s curator of mammals. ”But let`s give credit where credit is due; we have a pair of very cooperative cats.” All five cubs can be seen in the Children`s Zoo at the nursery.
Maned wolves are distant long-legged cousins of the grey and red wolves found in North America. They too are endangered, so the birth of three wolf cubs on Feb. 20 is significant. The cubs and mama wolf can be found on the far northeast side of the park.
Another new addition is a male koala named R.T. The 2-year-old marsupial joins a pair of females already ensconced on the second deck of the Crown-Field Center at the east gate. Hopes are for some koala breeding. If you hear a foghorn-like sound, it could mean R.T. is in the mood.
But perhaps the most significant arrival was last October`s birth of Shanti, a female Asian elephant. Zoo births of pachyderms are extremely rare. In fact, Shanti marked a first for Lincoln Park. Weighing in at 270 pounds at birth, she`s now at about 900 and steadily growing.
Just like her mom, Bozie, she relishes the pool in the elephant yard. There`s no generation gap when they cavort underwater. Another newcomer to Lincoln Park is a 2 1/2-year-old Asian elephant from the Houston Zoo named Pearl.
The fourth member of Lincoln Park`s elephant herd is a female African elephant named Suti. The foursome typify elephant camaraderie, encouraging and watching over one another. Daily at 1:15 p.m., docents offer elephant talks at the Large Mammal Area.
Although the Primate House is closed for renovation, some primates may be found at the Children`s Zoo, and great apes (gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans) can be found in the Great Ape House.
Gift shops
Some people visit the zoo without even bothering to see the animals. They`re just interested in shopping. ”Animal-image clothing and accessories have become fashionable, thanks to some big name European designers,” says Millie Penn, director of visitor services.
The T-shirts are designed by Penn and her staff in an effort to reflect the zoo`s collection. The newest line is photographed images of several large cats and giraffes projected onto the shirts; they sell for $18.
Other new items include a desk set made of recycled products for $15. You can wear the world on your ears with a pair of globe earrings for $8. A stuffed plush tiger-nearly 4 feet high and 1/2 feet long-sells for $1,200.
Penn says that T-shirts are her most popular item. That`s followed by rubber replicas of snakes ($4.50). ”When school or scout groups come through, the guys all get the snakes,” she says.
Gift shops at Lincoln Park are found in the Crown-Field Center, the Large Mammal Area and the Kovler Lion House. All zoo members receive a 10 percent discount. (Zoo membership is $35 for families, $25 for individuals.)
Food
Elephant Cafe: Some elephants at Lincoln Park are pink. Colossal pink elephant sugar cookies are now being offered at the spruced up Elephant Cafe. French fries cut in the shape of pachyderms, chicken nuggets, pasta and cobb salads and hot dogs and chili dogs are also on the menu. This food area is found on the far north side of the park.
Cafe Brauer: Located on the far south side of the zoo. The second deck patio of this recently renovated landmark building overlooks the Lincoln Park lagoon, where paddle boat rides-a Chicago tradition-are still offered. And where migratory birds sometimes stop. (Photographers flock here too, to shoot the skyline.)
Pizza made on the premises, hot dogs and salads are offered. New to the menu is the Healthy Lunch, a turkey salad sandwich on whole wheat bread with low cholesterol mayonnaise. Fruit and pasta also are included in the deal.
Landmark Cafe: At the center of the park is oldest zoo concession stand in the nation, filled with real stained glass windows. The Healthy Lunch and several salads are available here, along with typical zoo fare like Polish sausage and hot dogs.
Entrees range from $1.60 to $3.99.
Special events
Sunday: In 1985, Michael Werikhe, a Kenyan factory worker turned conservationist, walked from Uganda to Kenya to Tanzania to highten awareness of the plight of the endangered black rhinoceros. Subsequently, he`s trekked across Europe to promote his beloved rhinos. Now, he`s taken his cause to zoos and aquariums in North America.
The Lincoln Park Zoo Rhino Walk begins at 10 a.m. at the John G. Shedd Aquarium (1200 S. Lake Shore Dr.) and continues north to Michigan Avenue, through the south end of Lincoln Park, and then to the zoo. Participants walk for free but are asked to solicit contributions along their route. All walkers will receive rhino pins. And some lucky walkers may get T-shirts, rhino books, and even a baseball autographed by a Chicago Cub. For details, call 312-935-6700.
Special programs
ZooCamp: This is a series of week-long, 3-hour-per-day combinations of plain fun and learning the real inner workings of the zoo. ”We take kids behind the scenes and offer a variety of hands-on activities,” says Judy Kolar, curator of education. All participants receive a ZooCamp T-shirt. ZooCamp is $90; to register call 312-294-4649. Here are the ZooCamp sessions: – Down on the Farm: For ages 6-7; 9 a.m.-noon, July 22-26 or Aug. 5-9. Activities include country crafts, ice-cream making and cow feeding.
– Secrets for Survival: For ages 8-9; 9 a.m.-noon, July 15-19, or 1-4 p.m., July 22-26. Learn how feathers, fur, teeth and claws help animals to survive in the wild. Activities include a behind-the-scenes tour of the Kovler Lion House and up-close looks at the residents of the McCormick Bird House.
– Endangered Wildlife: For ages 10-11; 1-4 p.m., July 15-19, or 9 a.m.-noon, July 29-Aug. 2. Learn how zoos are aggressively working to conserve dwindling populations in the wild and how ”computer dating” and animal nutrition play a role. Activities include behind-the-scenes tours of the Large Mammal Area and the Kroc Animal Hospital.
What: Lincoln Park Zoo
Where: 2200 N. Cannon Dr.;312-294-4660
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
How much: Free or metered street parking-if you can find it
