The zoo began with a gift of two pairs of swans from New York's Central Park, and has evolved into a world-class facility that now puts science and conservation at the heart of its mission.

The completely blind amphibians, found in Texas, are a translucent white color with bright red gills. Brookfield Zoo is one of just three North American institutions to host the rare creatures.

Chicago has become the seventh city in the world to receive top-level certification for its sustainability efforts focused on green buildings.

A lawsuit filed Thursday by Illinois and seven other states challenges a Trump administration plan to eliminate long-standing protections for migratory birds.

A proposal in City Council would end a tourist industry that’s operated in the city for nearly 40 years. Supporters and opponents weigh in.

About 2 million people visit the Indiana Dunes each year for its hills of sand and sprawling beaches. But the beloved site on the southern shore of Lake Michigan is changing – and not in a good way.

Cook County Jail detainees will train dogs from the city shelter as part of a new program aimed at preparing for adoption larger dogs that often struggle to find permanent homes.

Their effectiveness can’t be judged by their size: We visit the Barrington nonprofit Mane in Heaven to discover the therapeutic mission of these miniature horses.

Learn about the history, science and uses of alcohol during a discussion series in September at The Whistler as part of the Field Museum’s 125th anniversary celebration.

Horse-drawn carriages have trotted along Chicago’s downtown streets for decades, but an ordinance making its way through City Council could outlaw the industry for good.

Six students from the University of Illinois at Chicago are starting the fall semester a little early – and a couple thousand miles from campus.

For the fifth straight year, dozens of animals have returned to O’Hare International Airport, where they are helping to clear invasive vegetation that can harbor wildlife and pose risks to aircrafts during takeoff. 

More than a million pangolins have been poached from the wild in the past 10-15 years, according to Brookfield Zoo. What conservationists are doing to change that.

A bill signed into law this week seeks to incorporate composted soil into state-funded landscaping projects. 

More scientists will be on hand next month to examine specimens and artifacts brought in by visitors, including staff specializing in zoology, paleontology, geology, ichthyology (also known as fish science) and more.

She is Shedd’s only full-time photographer, capturing images of the aquarium’s 32,000 animals from both in and out of the water. A conversation with Brenna Hernandez.