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| Giant Animatronic Dinosaurs roar into Brookfield Zoo this spring as the zoo will feature the Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit. |
Roars, howls, and chirps
of congratulations are echoing at Brookfield Zoo as 2012 marked the record for
highest attendance in the zoo’s 78-year history, with 2,339,312 guests in
attendance. This is an increase of 2 percent from the previous record held in
2010.
In addition, zoo
membership grew to an all-time high, reaching 113,398 households (approximately
524,470 individuals) and breaking the previous membership record of 108,839
households, held in 2011. Great weather conditions also contributed to a
December attendance record of 206,669, which included Holiday Magic attendance
of 151,804.
“We appreciate the continued support
from the community and our loyal members who enjoyed the zoo in 2012,” said
Stuart Strahl, president and CEO of the Chicago Zoological Society, which
manages Brookfield Zoo. “We value the opportunity to help our guests develop a
personal connection with the animals in our care and inspire people to conserve
wildlife and their habitats.”
New and exciting
adventures are scheduled for 2013, including the April return of the popular
Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit, which will feature a few old favorites like the Tyrannosaurus
rex, as well as many new animatronics, including ones with feathers.
Additionally, the 2013 Event Series will include the following:
* ¡Viva la Fiesta! at Brookfield
Zoo is a celebration of Hispanic culture, music, food, and refreshments that
will take place over the course of three weekends in May.
* ZooBrew is a relaxed gathering
in a festival setting that will feature regional musical performers and will
allow guests to sample a wide variety of premium seasonal beers and microbrews,
along with food pairings. ZooBrew will take place over the course of three
weekends in late summer.
* Zoo Run Run for the
Conservation Fund is a 5K that takes place inside the zoo and helps raise funds
to support threatened species and their environments. Zoo Run Run will be held
on September 22.
* In October, a Halloween
celebration will offer tricks and treats to guests of all ages.
* Holiday Magic, Chicagoland’s
largest holiday lights festival, will return in December.
The Chicago Zoological Society
inspires 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 Preserve District of Cook
County. The Society is known throughout the world for Brookfield Zoo's innovative,
naturalistic, multispecies exhibits and for its international role in animal
population management and wildlife conservation. For more information, visit
www.CZS.org.
