News Release

Contact: Sondra Katzen, Public Relations, 708.688.8351,sondra.katzen@czs.org

March 16, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

St. Patrick’s Day Treats Enjoyed by Animals at Brookfield Zoo

Brookfield, Ill.—St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated a day early at Brookfield Zoo as some of the animals were given shamrock-shaped treats made of a complete-balanced biscuit and gelatin. The camels, lemurs, orangutans, and gorillas all seemed to enjoy the novel enrichment items provided by the animal care staff. Boone and Lily, two of the zoo’s gray seals, whose natural habitat is the North Atlantic, including off the coast of Ireland, received gelatin goodies as well.

Photos and Captions—credit Jim Schulz/Chicago Zoological Society

8376 and 8402: Nora, a 4-year-old western lowland gorilla at Brookfield Zoo, celebrated St. Patrick’s Day a day early today, March 16, when animal care staff presented her and the other members of the gorilla group with green treats made of a complete-balanced biscuit. The animals’ nesting material was also dyed with a non-toxic green coloring.

8188: Lily and Boone, two gray seals at Brookfield Zoo received a St. Patrick’s Day treat from their animal care staff a day prior to the holiday. Gray seals’ natural habitat is the North Atlantic, including off the coast of Ireland.

8257: Ramses, a ring-tailed lemur at Brookfield Zoo, is eyeing a shamrock-shaped treat made of a complete-balanced biscuit and gelatin. Animal care staff presented several of the animals with the enrichment items in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.

8272: Ben, a Bornean orangutan at Brookfield Zoo, seems to be enjoying the shamrock-shaped treats made of a complete-balanced biscuit and gelatin that he and other animals at the zoo received in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.

8284: Sophia, a Bornean orangutan at Brookfield Zoo, and her daughter Heidi, who is clinging to mom, received shamrock-shaped treats made of a complete-balanced biscuit and gelatin in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.

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About the Chicago Zoological Society

The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. The Chicago Zoological Society is a private nonprofit organization that operates Brookfield Zoo on land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The Society is known throughout the world for its international role in animal population management and wildlife conservation. Its Center for the Science of Animal Care and Welfare is at the forefront of animal care that strives to discover and implement innovative approaches to zoo animal management. Brookfield Zoo is the first zoo in the world to be awarded the Humane Certified™ certification mark for the care and welfare of its animals, meeting American Humane Association’s rigorous certification standards. Open every day of the year, the zoo is located at 8400 31stStreet in Brookfield, Illinois, between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and is also accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294),Metra commuter line, CTA and PACE bus service. For further information, visit CZS.org.