Mother’s Day was extra special for Rollie, a western lowland gorilla at Lincoln Park Zoo who gave birth to a male last weekend.
Stories by alex ruppenthal
Attorney General Raoul Decries Trump’s ‘Punishing’ EPA Budget Cuts
May 13, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The Trump administration has proposed $2.8 billion in cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, including a decrease of more than $1.4 billion in funding for states.
Lincoln Park Zoo Unveils Plans for New $35 Million Lion House
May 10, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The new habitat will also bring a new pride of lions, with the zoo’s current group set to depart for a Kansas zoo in the coming weeks.
Congressional Members Urge EPA to Crack Down on Chicago Manganese Polluter
May 9, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth are among those urging the EPA to take “immediate action” against Southeast Side industrial facilities for emitting potentially harmful levels of brain-damaging manganese dust.
How Shedd Aquarium Uses Egg Candling to Monitor Developing Penguin Chicks
May 8, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
In a process known as egg candling, the aquarium’s animal care staff use a high-powered light to observe the inside of growing penguin eggs to determine whether they are fertile and monitor their development.
Chicago Zoo, Brewery to Release Beer Inspired by Red Fox’s Diet of Wild Berries
May 7, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Lincoln Park Zoo and DryHop Brewers are teaming up again in support of conservation. The new fruited sour beer will be made with a blueberry purée complimented by a lemon and citrus tartness, according to DryHop.
Four Critically Endangered Red Wolf Pups Born at Lincoln Park Zoo
May 6, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The cubs’ arrival – the first litter born at the zoo since 2010 – is a bright spot for one of the world’s most endangered wolf species.
Chicago-Area Students Join Global ‘Strike’ Over Climate Change
May 3, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Several hundred students ditched classes Friday for a march and rally downtown as part of the Youth Climate Strike, a global movement demanding action to address global warming.
New $70 Million Tunnel Keeping Water Out of Northwest Side Streets, Homes
May 2, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Nearly 6 inches of rain has fallen in and around Chicago since last weekend, which in years past might have caused significant flooding in some neighborhoods. But that hasn’t happened, city officials said.
Chicago Shelter Launches Partnership With Facial Recognition App to Find Lost Pets
May 1, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
For Chicago pet owners, finding a lost dog or cat could now be just a few clicks away, thanks to an app built using facial recognition technology.
Lincoln Park Zoo Receives Arboretum Accreditation
Apr 30, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
It’s home to more than animals: More than 330 species of trees, shrubs and plants live on zoo grounds, including the historic canopy of oak trees whose roots predate the city’s founding.
Rare Copy of World’s Most Famous Bird Book on Display in Chicago
Apr 29, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The groundbreaking book “Birds of America” by painter and ornithologist John James Audubon features intricate watercolor paintings of nearly every bird on the continent. It’s now on display at the Field Museum.
1,000-Pound Brookfield Polar Bear Gets 1st CT Scan
Pair of Brookfield Polar Bears Involved in Artificial Insemination
Apr 25, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Hudson, a 1,000-pound male polar bear at Brookfield Zoo, underwent a historic checkup this week when he received a CT scan and had semen collected, which was used to inseminate two female polar bears.
Chicago Among the Country’s Most Polluted Cities, Study Finds
Apr 24, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The American Lung Association’s annual “State of the Air” report found that Chicago has experienced an increase in days with spikes of ozone-polluted air.
Calling Frog Survey Returns to Chicago’s Southeast Side
Apr 18, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
By tracking the types, frequency and intensity of frog mating calls, experts hope to gauge the success of conservation efforts in an area commonly referred to as the city’s dumping ground.
Brookfield Zoo’s 7-Week-Old River Otter Pup Dies
Apr 17, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Staff made the decision to euthanize the North American river otter pup after his health declined over the weekend. “This was an enormously hard decision to make,” said Bill Zeigler of the Chicago Zoological Society.
Proposed Bills Would Restrict Illinois’ Authority to Protect Endangered Species
Apr 16, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
A pair of bills would strip the state of its authority to regulate endangered species that are protected at the federal level but that might require further protections within Illinois.
River Otter Pup Being Hand-Reared at Brookfield Zoo
Apr 12, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Staff at the zoo are caring for the pup because his mother was unable to provide him with proper nourishment. His arrival in February marked the zoo’s second successful birth for this once-endangered species.
NASA Twins Study Shows How Astronaut’s Body Changed Over a Year in Space
Apr 11, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
A groundbreaking study concludes that human health can be “mostly sustained” for a year in space, a key finding that figures to help NASA with its mission of sending humans to Mars within two decades.
Chicago City Council Approves Clean Energy Resolution
Apr 10, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The non-binding measure is being celebrated by environmental advocates, who note that Chicago is now the largest U.S. city to announce a timeline for obtaining all of its energy from renewable sources.
Chicago is Most Dangerous City for Migratory Birds, Study Finds
Apr 4, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The city’s gleaming skyline and its position along a busy migratory corridor make it the most dangerous in the U.S. for birds traveling north and south each fall and spring, a new study finds.
Lincoln Park Zoo Ending its ‘Meet an Animal’ Program
Apr 3, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The zoo is no longer offering a program that allowed visitors to touch or interact with a handful of different animals, citing research showing that some animals display signs of stress after being handled by humans.
Field Museum Pranks Twitter, Opens Pop-Up ‘Dig Site’ on Michigan Avenue
Apr 1, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
After teasing social media by announcing the discovery of “unprecedented” dinosaur fossils under a Michigan Avenue storefront, the Field Museum unveiled a new pop-up exhibit that replicates a “dig site” where paleontologists search for fossils.
Pregnant Rhino Kapuki Undergoes Ultrasound at Lincoln Park Zoo
Mar 29, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Kapuki, a 13-year-old eastern black rhinoceros, is expected to give birth to a baby calf in May.
Lose a Pet? Chicago Shelter to Use Facial Recognition App to Help Reunite Animals, Owners
Mar 28, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
Each year, Chicago Animal Care and Control takes in more than 3,000 stray dogs and 3,000 stray cats on average, but only a fraction of them are reunited with their owners. How a new app could help link lost pets with their owners.
White People’s Eating Habits Produce Most Greenhouse Gases, Study Finds
Mar 27, 2019 | Alex Ruppenthal
The diets of white Americans contribute to climate change more than the eating habits of African and Latino Americans, according to a new report by a group of Chicago researchers.