Stories by Patty Wetli

A zoo in Denmark made headlines when it solicited donations of pets to feed to its predators. WTTW News asked Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo Chicago to share their policies regarding feed sources.

Armadillos have been making a slow but steady push north. At this point, it’s a matter of when, not if, they’ll turn up in Chicago, according to one expert.

Ferris, one of three chicks hatched at Montrose in 2025, was killed by a red-tailed hawk midday Saturday, according to Chicago Piping Plovers.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires settled over Chicago Thursday, with air quality reaching “unhealthy” levels for everyone. Air quality was far worse in parts of Canada closer to the fires.

Saturday is the fourth annual Stationery Store Day, a big day for shoppers and an even bigger day for mom-and-pop stationers.

Amur leopards are critically endangered, with fewer than 100 estimated remaining in the wild.

The 66th Chicago Air & Water Show is set for Aug. 16-17 along the lakefront.

What does the Chicago Park District owe its community of volunteer natural area stewards? Some say a little respect, and maybe a heads up if the district is going to mow down acres of native plants.

Just as piping plover season was beginning to wind down, volunteer monitors in Waukegan have been called back into action, with four captive-reared chicks released on a Lake County beach earlier this week.

A Chicago City Council subject matter hearing reignited calls for an ordinance mandating bird-friendly building design requirements. “We know how to solve this, and for some reason we just haven’t,” said one speaker.

Aster was one of four chicks hatched barely a month ago by Blaze and Pepper. It was the pair's second season breeding on a Waukegan beach.

Temperatures are expected to soar between 92 and 97 degrees. High humidity will make it feel more like 105 to 115 degrees, the weather service said.

A lifeguard is accused of shooting two teenage boys, one fatally, at the Douglass Park pool in June.

Drought and intermittent cold spells likely played a role in the rough start, according to experts.

“This year, the names represent iconic Chicago landmarks woven into the city’s fabric and known to all visitors of our beloved city and community,” Chicago Piping Plovers said.

Researchers studied specimens of small mammals in the Field Museum’s collection to explore the ways animals are adapting to urbanization.

The National Weather Service is warning of an ongoing threat for flash flooding in the Chicago region through Saturday.

Newly exposed tracks and rail ties, excavated during construction, were part of what was once one of the world’s largest streetcar systems.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning at 9:46 p.m. Tuesday night for Chicago and Cicero and the situation quickly escalated.

Only a small group of people have regular access to the enchanting rooftop sanctuary atop the Center on Halsted in Lakeview. Let's take a look.

Officials at Shedd Aquarium say they are guardedly optimistic about the outcome of a groundbreaking surgery on 12-year-old Kimalu, who is now the first beluga whale to recover from general anesthesia.

A contest is now open to submit names for Imani and Searocket’s three offspring.

Chicago’s lakefront is famously open and free. So why is a prime section of Montrose Beach roped off every summer? Because it’s for the birds. Literally. The piping plovers. WTTW News explains.

Thanks to a recent update to the arboretum’s website, gardeners will find it easier to broker a love connection between plants and pollinators.

Father's Day took on extra meaning this year for Lake County's piping plover papa Pepper — he's a dad again, at least three times over.

Two weeks after announcing a plan to build a privately funded $650 million stadium on the South Branch of the Chicago River, the Chicago Fire has released new renderings of the proposed arena.