Brookfield Zoo Chicago

Brookfield Zoo Chicago was honored to receive the inaugural Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Advocacy Impact Award for our successful advocacy campaign, “Vote Yes for Clean Air, Clean Water and Wildlife.” This campaign behind the successful 2022 county referendum urged residents to approve a small property tax increase benefiting the Forest Preserves of Cook County. This referendum is already resulting in funding to acquire and protect more open land, restore nature to ecological health, provide additional habitats for wildlife, increase educational programming and access to nature for local communities, and support at the Zoo. The effort was led by our very own Jennifer Baader, SVP of Government Affairs.

Thank you to The New York Times for bringing awareness to the pollution encountered by the wild dolphin population in Florida. Brookfield Zoo Chicago's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program partnered with researchers from College of Charleston on a study, which showed that inhalation may be a significant way dolphins and other marine mammals are exposed to microplastics. The findings are shared here: https://lnkd.in/eHRkPx7N To learn more about the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program and their tireless efforts toward dolphin conservation and providing insights into coastal wildlife, visit www.brookfieldzoo.org/sdrp.

On October 7, Brookfield Zoo Chicago hosted our 21st annual Conservation Leadership Awards Dinner. CLAD speaks to the heart of our mission and recognizes individuals or organizations with extraordinary contributions to wildlife conservation. Trustees Ann and John Grube received the Corwith Hamill Lifetime Achievement Conservation Award for their lasting contributions to Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Ann was a founding member of the Women’s Board in 1981. With her fellow founders, Ann helped create several fundraising events that are crucial to supporting Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s mission, while John has served on our Board of Trustees since 1988. In his six years as Chair of the Board, John focused on enhancing our Zoo’s experience and making Brookfield Zoo Chicago accessible to all. The Edith Rockefeller McCormick Partnership Award was presented to the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation for their invaluable financial support of the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (SDRP). Their generous contributions ensure the SDRP can engage and educate the public, while also contributing to the conservation of dolphins and marine coastal ecosystems. Dr. Laura Adamovicz was recognized by our Rising Conservation Leader Award for her groundbreaking work with wildlife diseases, especially with turtle species. Dr. Adamovicz is a wildlife veterinarian who works as the co-director of the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab and as a Senior Research Scientist at the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She collaborates with our BZC veterinary team on crucial wildlife conservation projects, particularly focusing on turtle conservation within the forest preserves. And, we presented the acclaimed George B. Rabb Conservation Medal to Arnold Randall. As General Superintendent, Arnold significantly enhanced the Forest Preserves of Cook County by focusing on conservation and restoration, and introduced the Next Century Conservation Plan with ambitious goals for the future. Now as Executive Director of the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Arnold leads a team focused on land conservation in the Chicago region as well as South Carolina’s low country. Please join us in recognizing these outstanding leaders for their collective impact on conservation efforts!

It's National Veterinary Technician Week, and we’re celebrating the dedicated professionals who keep our animals healthy, happy, and thriving! Our vet techs are the experts behind the scenes; they work with animals of all shapes, sizes, and species. Whether they’re preparing for checkups, administering anesthesia, or analyzing blood samples, their passion and expertise are essential to ensuring every animal gets the best possible care. Thank you to our amazing team of vet techs for all that you do!

In the past two weeks, two major hurricanes have devastated the Southeastern region of the United States, causing historic flooding, major infrastructure damage, and tragic loss of life. Here at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, our hearts go out to all who suffered and continue to suffer from the effects of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Among the communities impacted were those in Sarasota, Florida, home to our Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (SDRP), and our Sarasota-based staff members are working tirelessly to ensure the SDRP is fully functional again as quickly as possible. While the team’s offices, labs, and boats were largely intact — despite damage to Mote Marine Laboratory where they are housed — many of the station housings and hydrophones that make up the SDRP’s Sarasota Bay Listening Network have been lost or severely damaged. The Listening Network, a powerful tool for studying the lives of marine animals, continuously record underwater sounds so that the team can monitor dolphins and other sound-producing animals, as indicators of ecosystem health. The full extent of the damage to the Listening Network is not yet known, as the team has still been unable to access some of the 15 hydrophone sites, but there will certainly be significant work required to restore the network to its pre-hurricane capacity. For 54 years, the SDRP — the world's longest-running dolphin conservation research program — has been at the forefront of dolphin conservation. The team’s groundbreaking work has revealed critical insights into the complex societies of bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay, helping scientists better understand their behaviors and the ecosystems they depend on. In addition, the SDRP has contributed invaluable data to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) management plans for the species and guided officials’ responses to environmental disasters and helping to protect endangered marine species worldwide. In the face of such climate-related challenges, our commitment to conservation has never been more critical. Protecting our marine ecosystems not only helps build resilience against future storms but also ensures that we can continue to support the vital research and education efforts that benefit both wildlife and our communities. The SDRP's work not only reduces preventable tragedies, such as dolphin entanglements in fishing lines — which account for 20% of dolphin deaths in the region — but also provides vital insights into the overall health of our shared coastal waters. If you would like to support the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program during this critical time, visit https://bit.ly/4h4zYas. Your generosity will allow us to respond to the team’s areas of greatest need as they work toward resuming normal operations. Photos taken under NMFS Scientific Research Permit No. 26622.

Calling all bird lovers! Join Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s 2nd annual Fall Migratory Bird SAFEty Challenge to collaborate with other bird watchers and conservationists in community science efforts while enjoying nature. From October 12 - 20, enter your feathered observations into the BZ BioBlitz 2024 iNaturalist page through the iNaturalist app - available to both Android and Apple users through their respective app stores. Participants are eligible for a chance to win one of three coveted awards for most observations, most species, and most observed species. For more information: https://bit.ly/3NizoZd

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with Daniela Herrera! Our ZAP! Conservationists in Action series wraps up with Daniela Herrera, a passionate Mexican American birder based in Chicago. As a leader and organizer for Chicago BIPOC Birders, Daniela creates inclusive spaces for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to connect with nature through birdwatching. Her work in philanthropy supports grassroots efforts in environmental and climate justice initiatives. Join us on Wednesday, October 9 at 5 p.m. for her inspiring presentation to learn how local conservation efforts and community engagement can make a global impact! Register for our free, virtual discussion at https://bit.ly/4ddGI2S

Calling all Teachers! 📚 We’re thrilled to announce a series of FREE classes designed to enhance your field trips at the zoo! These sessions will equip you with creative strategies to engage your students with wildlife and conservation. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3zL7Fx7

Happy International Zookeeper Day! Today, we celebrate our amazing animal care teams who care for over 3,400 animals and more than 500 species of furry, feathered, and scaled animals from around the globe. Their dedication to animal care helps connect our guests to the wonders of wildlife and the importance of conservation for our shared future. Thank you to our animal care teams for all you do!

Exciting news! Last week, Brookfield Zoo Chicago has been awarded the Master Key of Success in Innovation–Best Practices Award by the International Association for Human Resources Information Management (IHRIM)! Our project team was recognized for exhibiting exemplary collaborative spirit, working with HRchitects Consulting consultants to successfully implement a new enterprise Human Capital Management system. Congratulations to everyone involved!