New mom Zari snuggling with her cub, barely visible in the lower part of the frame. (Lincoln Park Zoo)

The cub was born March 15, with its sex still unknown. Mom Zari and dad Jabari both arrived at the zoo in 2021 for the opening of the Pepper Family Wildlife Center.

Current zoo director Dr. Megan Ross, Ph.D., has been selected to lead the venerable institution when current president and CEO Kevin Bell steps down at the end of the year. (Credit: Lisa Miller)

Dr. Megan Ross, an animal behavior specialist, joined the zoo as curator of birds in 2000 and will be the first woman to lead the zoo in its 153-year history.

A Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth at Brookfield Zoo receives a COVID-19 vaccine. (Cathy Bazzoni / Chicago Zoological Society-Brookfield Zoo)

Animals at Brookfield Zoo have begun receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, with Lincoln Park Zoo soon to follow, as federal and state officials approved the use of the inoculations.

Monty and Rose's fourth piping plover chick, hatched at Lincoln Park Zoo. (Courtesy of Lincoln Park Zoo)

Two days after welcoming three healthy chicks, Chicago’s beloved piping plovers added a fourth hatchling to their growing family, thanks to a little help from wildlife officials.

Dr. Lester Fisher (Courtesy of Lincoln Park Zoo)

Dr. Lester Fisher has led a remarkable life, from taking care of Gen. George Patton’s bulldog Willie during his service in World War II to a more than four-decade association with Lincoln Park Zoo, where he started out as a part-time veterinarian. 

Meet Brookfield Zoo’s new mother-daughter Mexican wolves, Sibi and Lorena. (Jim Schulz / Chicago Zoological Society)

After self-imposed winter breaks, Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo are reopening to guests, with a number of safety precautions in place due to the coronavirus. Here’s what to expect.

Hudson, Brookfield Zoo’s 14-year-old polar bear, frolics in the snow. (Jim Schulz / Chicago Zoological Society)

Both Brookfield and Lincoln Park zoos will temporarily close during January and February, but they have plenty of online content in the works to remain connected with the public.

Paul Eberhart, a lead animal care specialist at Brookfield Zoo, spends some time with the Nigerian dwarf goats. (Jim Schulz / Chicago Zoological Society

For institutions with “living collections,” there’s really been no such thing as a shutdown during the pandemic. Even with no visitors coming through the door, zoos and aquariums are still caring for their animals around the clock.  

A baby Grevy's zebra was born at the Lincoln Park Zoo Aug. 14. (Christopher Bijalba / Lincoln Park Zoo)

The yet-to-be-named foal was born Friday. Grevy’s zebras are endangered in the wild due to habitat loss and hunting. 

(Courtesy Lincoln Park Zoo)

The 150-year-old zoo is preparing to welcome its first visitors since the March coronavirus shutdown. Here’s what you need to know.

(Skeeze / Pixabay)

The city is on high alert after two coyote attacks Wednesday, but a wildlife expert says such incidents are very rare. “I don’t think people need to be panicked or alarmed,” said Seth Magle, director of the Urban Wildlife Institute at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sahar, Lincoln Park Zoo's 9-year-old male lion, died Sept. 27 while living temporarily at a zoo in Kansas. (Courtesy Lincoln Park Zoo)

Sahar, a 9-year-old African lion, arrived in Chicago in 2012 and became a favorite among staff and visitors. He died unexpectedly last month while living at a zoo in Kansas. 

Siku, a male polar bear at Lincoln Park Zoo, pictured in 2016. (Julia Fuller / Lincoln Park Zoo)

Zoo staff had been working with Siku, a 9-year-old male polar bear, for about a year to train him on behaviors that helped staff collect his blood. 

Sahar, Lincoln Park Zoo's 9-year-old male lion, died Sept. 27 while living temporarily at a zoo in Kansas. (Courtesy Lincoln Park Zoo)

Sahar, a 9-year-old African lion, died last week while living temporarily at Rolling Hills Zoo in Kansas as Lincoln Park Zoo renovates its lion house. 

(a4gpa / Flickr)

Using satellite images and data on wildlife activity, scientists determined that artificial light levels found in more than a third of the city are altering the circadian rhythm and behaviors of animals throughout the city.

Lincoln Park Zoo’s new Searle Visitor Center (Courtesy Lincoln Park Zoo)

The 151-year-old zoo will continue to offer free admission for the next 30-plus years after agreeing to an extended contract with the city.