Brookfield Zoo Brookfield Zoo News 2021

I have not been there in a month so I have not seen out on exhibit though I am planning to visit on Saturday
Nice!!! It has been a while since I visited Brookfield Zoo, after all I’m a central Illinoisan. Hopefully good stuff has happened there.
 
Well, someone needs to visit first, also, it’s not easy making a species list.
It isn't easy to make a full species list. Brookfield is a huge zoo and writing up a full list is very time-consuming. It would probably take multiple days of visit to compile a full list.

As someone who just visited 10 zoos over a couple of weeks and did species lists for all of them, it's not too hard or time-consuming if you have the knowledge and resources to do it efficiently.

The way I do it is by using both a camera and smartphone (depending on battery and storage space you may only need one) to take photos of every species sign for animals that can't easily be confirmed by memory or photographs (like grizzly bears, okapi, or gorillas). I also try to take at least one photo of any species I see that isn't signed; I'll only make a note of it if I can't do that. After the visit, once I have spare time I go through all of the signage photos and write the names up in a Word document, after which all of the photos can be deleted to free up storage space. For a zoo the size of Brookfield, I estimate this process may take roughly 2 hours depending on typing speed and signage quality.

It's true that Brookfield is a bigger zoo than most, and some people may not have the devices or practice necessary to perform such a feat, but I suspect it can be done more easily than people might think.
 
As someone who just visited 10 zoos over a couple of weeks and did species lists for all of them, it's not too hard or time-consuming if you have the knowledge and resources to do it efficiently.

The way I do it is by using both a camera and smartphone (depending on battery and storage space you may only need one) to take photos of every species sign for animals that can't easily be confirmed by memory or photographs (like grizzly bears, okapi, or gorillas). I also try to take at least one photo of any species I see that isn't signed; I'll only make a note of it if I can't do that. After the visit, once I have spare time I go through all of the signage photos and write the names up in a Word document, after which all of the photos can be deleted to free up storage space. For a zoo the size of Brookfield, I estimate this process may take roughly 2 hours depending on typing speed and signage quality.

It's true that Brookfield is a bigger zoo than most, and some people may not have the devices or practice necessary to perform such a feat, but I suspect it can be done more easily than people might think.
This pretty much describes what I do, as well. Brookfield specifically is a bit of a pain to make a species list for. The huge size, extra fees for many areas, and problems with rotating signage on a screen in a few buildings makes Brookfield extra difficult to make a list for.
 
problems with rotating signage on a screen in a few buildings

Yeah, in my experience rotating signage is the biggest time sink when making species lists. I usually try to minimize waiting time by positioning myself near multiple rotating signs when possible, and just snapping a photo on whatever one just changed, or all of them in a line if they're on the same cycle. Otherwise those just take a little while.

I also see that the Clouded Leopard Rain Forest/Desert's Edge sections are still closed, so a full species list wouldn't be possible at the moment.

extra fees for many areas

What areas of Brookfield require extra fees? I haven't been in years and didn't remember that being a thing.
 
I also see that the Clouded Leopard Rain Forest/Desert's Edge sections are still closed, so a full species list wouldn't be possible at the moment.

I’d offer to do it since I am at the zoo 5 days a week, but since those buildings are still closed, it’d take some time for a full list to be completed.
 
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