This weekend, I paid a visit to Chicagoland’s other zoo: Brookfield Zoo. About 4 times the size of Lincoln Park Zoo, it’s tucked away in the suburb of Brookfield, which is easily accessible, and when I say “easily accessible,” I mean you can get there, but you’re going to sit in traffic, even on a Saturday.
I got pictures, but none that seriously wowed me. I also learned that part of the issue I’ve had since getting my gorgeous new camera is that my SD card is too slow, so I’m not getting the full benefit of the burst. That will be remedied before I go on my trip, which I’ll be talking about later on in the week.
Though it was a lovely day, and the zoo not outrageously crowded, there was just something flatter to me about Brookfield Zoo. Sheds were faded with the paint peeling; the abundant gift shops felt halfhearted and uninspired. The light inside the animal houses was also pretty dim.
You might, if you read regularly, know my concerns about zoos, but I’ll say this: the animals all looked like they were plush versions of themselves, like a menagerie of children’s toys brought to life. Even the rhino seemed like he’d been plucked from the shelf.
Albeit a very large shelf.
Anyway, you’re not here for the words, you want to see some photos, so here we go!
Condors. Huge doesn’t begin to describe them.
This one knew what it was doing, and showed off its wingspan. ENORMOUS.
People actually fed these small monkeys, who were not fenced off from us at all. Don’t feed the animals!
Speaking of huge, this bison was shockingly large. And people are approaching them at Yellowstone?! UHHH…
I mean don’t they look like you could have picked them up at the gift shop?
Why yes, that IS a dead mouse these two American Bald Eagles are about to enjoy.
I think this grizzly is soon to be featured in a shampoo commercial.
Even the camel looked fluffy. Though she wasn’t named Alexander Camelton, like the new baby camel at Lincoln Park.
Please go back to the mouse, eagle.
There were two baby gorillas, but the mom of the little one did not like pictures.
A Bit to Read 
Great pictures, especially the rhino. And a trip? Oh, my! 🙂
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Did you see the duck? I snapped that for you. Though it wasn’t called a duck, it was named something else. But yes!! The trip is fast approaching!
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It looks like a duck … did it quack like a duck?
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See, that’s where it all falls apart. It did not quack like a duck or anything else!
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I don’t go to zoo’s, ever. It kind of breaks my heart but then we need to be educated to appreciate all of nature. At least there are still some dodo’s that haven’t figured that out yet. Looks like that zoo is spending all it’s funds on maintaining the health of the animals and little on the infrastructure. I would never get close to a Bison. We were warned how dangerous they can be. People that raise them for meat are exceeding careful of them. Goes for most wild animals. You got a lot of good pictures. Anxious to hear about the trip. 🙂
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I am with you, and even in the huge primate house, they looked pretty unhappy. But these animals are clearly in excellent health, or at least appear to be, and for animals like the rhino, so close to extinction…
I thought it was not smart with the bison when I read about it, but seeing the size of the male (bull?), people are out of their minds!
And thanks! The announcement is forthcoming, it should be a good one, packed with excellent photo ops!!
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