Arts & Entertainment
Brookfield Zoo’s CEO on Big Plans to Transform the Grounds Ahead of Centennial Anniversary
Brookfield Zoo is going wild with its latest expansion plans.
The changes are detailed in the zoo’s $500 million Next Century Plan, which is in anticipation of the zoo’s 100th anniversary in 2034.
More than 100 acres of the zoo’s grounds are set to undergo renovation or development. The four-phase plan calls for transforming traditional exhibit spaces into “eco-regions” that allow different species to roam between various habitats.
Read More: Brookfield Zoo Unveils ‘Next Century Plan’ and It Looks Wild
Dr. Mike Adkesson, president and CEO of Brookfield Zoo, joined “Chicago Tonight” to discuss the plan.
On the inspiration
“We are really looking to take advantage of our 100th birthday coming up in 2034 to really reshape the zoo over the next decade leading up to that centennial and beyond.”
On eco-regions
“Ecoregions are just different environments around the globe. And we really want to take our guests on a journey where they are not just experiencing one animal in an environment but they’re really experiencing that whole ecosystem. They are seeing how animals would be in the wild with mixed species habitats where there are different animals together in an immersive landscape where they feel like they are being transported to another part of the globe.”
On further expansions
“We’re really looking ahead to an Australian expansion and a gateway to Africa area. That gateway to Africa is conceived around the idea of these large herds of different antelope together. You may see rhinos and giraffes together in a savanna habitat. You may see elephants mixed in with rhinos in a forest habitat. The constant changing of animals in their spaces is not just enriching for the animals but it also makes for a more exciting journey for our guests.”
On the mission
“The core of our mission is to save wildlife and in order to save them, we have to get people to care about them. We have to get them to want to come along on that journey with us and understand what they can do in their daily lives to help make a difference for wildlife around the world.”
On benefits for the animals
“The animals are also being challenged to intellectually think about what they’re doing and where they’re going on any given day … different experiences and different animals to interact with.”
On new developments beyond the Brookfield campus
“This plan includes a framework for our conservation strategy, educational and community outreach programming. It includes our commitment to a zoo for all, which is all of our inclusivity opportunities to really make the zoo a welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds. It’s making sure that all audiences feel welcome.”
On the fundraising
“The Next Century Plan, as we’ve conceived it right now, we’re making a $500 (million) dollar commitment towards this 15-year plan. This plan really has a 30-year vision and $100 million of that is set aside as an endowment to help ensure our financial sustainability long term.”
On the construction
“As we progress, there will certainly be times where certain animals may not be visible.That’s just inevitable as we work through updating 100-year-old infrastructure, but for the most part, the zoo will be open. And we’ll be trying to make sure that we have experiences that complement those that are offline.”
On the new technology
“So we've launched a new app this year. It’s a great way for us to push information to our guests as they move through the park so that as they’re looking at an animal, we want to be able to share a conservation story about that animal. We want to make it a very interactive process as people move through the zoo.”
