Brown's Oakridge Zoo closing

[Coelacanth18]

The Brown's Oakridge Zoo in Fulton County, Illinois (near Peoria) is closing its doors permanently after 30 years of operation. The zoo had a working relationship with Joe Exotic and his Oklahoma zoo for 15 years and received animals from them. The zoo's owner, in a public statement released about the closing, has stated that the negative press coverage they have received since being linked to Joe Exotic in the documentary series Tiger King is a major factor in their closing. It's unclear if the pandemic was a factor.

Brown’s Oakridge Zoo to shutdown

 

[snowleopard]

Funnily enough, that is the only zoo in the state of Illinois that I've not visited. Unless, of course, there are others that I don't know about.

Here are the zoos that I've been to in Illinois:

13 Illinois Zoos:

**Brookfield Zoo (Brookfield)

**Cosley Zoo (Wheaton)

**Henson Robinson Zoo (Springfield)

**John G. Shedd Aquarium (Chicago)

**Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago)

**Miller Park Zoo (Bloomington)

**Niabi Zoo (Coal Valley)

**Peoria Zoo (Peoria)

**Phillips Park Zoo (Aurora)

**Scovill Zoo (Decatur)

**Summerfield Zoo (Belvidere)

**Wildlife Prairie Park (Hanna City)

**Willowbrook Wildlife Center (Glen Ellyn)

 

[birdsandbats]

Funnily enough, that is the only zoo in the state of Illinois that I've not visited. Unless, of course, there are others that I don't know about.

Here are the zoos that I've been to in Illinois:

13 Illinois Zoos:

**Brookfield Zoo (Brookfield)

**Cosley Zoo (Wheaton)

**Henson Robinson Zoo (Springfield)

**John G. Shedd Aquarium (Chicago)

**Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago)

**Miller Park Zoo (Bloomington)

**Niabi Zoo (Coal Valley)

**Peoria Zoo (Peoria)

**Phillips Park Zoo (Aurora)

**Scovill Zoo (Decatur)

**Summerfield Zoo (Belvidere)

**Wildlife Prairie Park (Hanna City)

**Willowbrook Wildlife Center (Glen Ellyn)

I've been to one that isn't on this list: Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.

 

[NSU42]

Funnily enough, that is the only zoo in the state of Illinois that I've not visited. Unless, of course, there are others that I don't know about.

Here are the zoos that I've been to in Illinois:

13 Illinois Zoos:

**Brookfield Zoo (Brookfield)

**Cosley Zoo (Wheaton)

**Henson Robinson Zoo (Springfield)

**John G. Shedd Aquarium (Chicago)

**Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago)

**Miller Park Zoo (Bloomington)

**Niabi Zoo (Coal Valley)

**Peoria Zoo (Peoria)

**Phillips Park Zoo (Aurora)

**Scovill Zoo (Decatur)

**Summerfield Zoo (Belvidere)

**Wildlife Prairie Park (Hanna City)

**Willowbrook Wildlife Center (Glen Ellyn)

You didn't miss much. Probably the worst zoo I have ever visited. Multiple big cats in cramped cages. An Olive Baboon all by its self. A baby ring tailed lemur that had been seperated from its parents (not sure where they got it from) and you could pay extra to hold and take pictures with. If I remember correctly they had a baby skunk for the same reason. They breed animals just to make money off of them with "encounters." They claim they "rescue" all these baby animals because the parenta rejected them, but the more likely story is that they seperate them from the parents so they can raise them.