Celebrate Spring at the Zoo

Everything is coming alive at Lincoln Park Zoo! Viewing animals in their habitats is just the beginning. There’s no place better to experience the arrival of spring than at this urban oasis.

To start with, take a walk around Nature Boardwalk. You’ll see signs of the season everywhere! Flower buds are opening, plants are getting greener as sunnier and warmer conditions trigger photosynthesis, and the urban wildlife are getting more active again. Bat species start to return and awaken, while toads will be noticeable in the South Pond—by sound if not sight! Turtles are coming out of brumation and increasing their activity, while young ones of various turtle species are coming out of their nests. Fish get more active as water temperatures rise.

Birds are returning from their overwintering sites during spring migration. Red-winged blackbirds are back and protecting their territories, so watch your head! We’re at the start of warbler season and the bird-watching is great.

You can also watch for feathered friends inside the zoo. You’ll see more waterfowl and other birds out and about this month, whether they are zoo animals like Chilean flamingos and swan geese or visitors to the grounds, like ring-billed gulls and Canadian geese. McCormick Bird House is open again, and you can also check out the chickens at Farm-in-the-Zoo.

Luzon bleeding heart doves at McCormick Bird House

The state-endangered black-crowned night herons that make their home at the zoo every spring and summer are beginning to lay eggs at Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo this month. Expect parts of that area to close in late April or early May to accommodate their nesting activities.

Soon you’ll be able to indulge in a lot more on-grounds bird- and animal-watching, as gates open at 8 a.m. for the main zoo and at Farm-in-the-Zoo starting on May 1. Buildings open at 10 a.m. as usual. After Memorial Day, the zoo will close later as well, so watch for further announcements—and plan your visit with the zoo’s web app at go.lpzoo.org.

You’ll definitely want to come to see some of the zoo’s new arrivals, including the emperor tamarins and the new meerkat mob, plus whitebelly reed frogs, Poco the red wolf, and juvenile black tree monitors.

The new meerkat mob at Regenstein African Journey

Then you’ll want to check out your regular favorites, from giraffes Rae and Finely at Regenstein African Journey to the chimpanzee and western lowland gorilla residents of Regenstein Center for African Apes! The Malott Family Penguin Encounter will be back this year, so you’ll also have the chance to step into the African penguin habitat and learn about the daily lives of these very cool animals.

Other on-grounds demonstrations taking place regularly this season (but subject to cancellation based on animal needs) include Seal Training and Feeding, Ape Cognition and Care, Jamaican Iguana Care, Monkey Cognition, and Penguin Feeding. Check here for days and times. 

As you cross the grounds, you’ll notice that they are blooming with formal displays of flowers and plants like daffodils, bluebells, Lenten roses, crocuses, dogwoods, and magnolias. You can just come to the zoo and meander through its beautiful gardens, but you can take the Trees of Interest tour or use Garden Explorer to locate what’s flowering right now.

And if you’d prefer a more guided experience, feel free to join the zoo’s free, all-ages Second Saturday Garden Tours starting April 12 and continuing into fall, or check out the brand-new Sunset Garden Tours on third Thursdays starting in May ($15 per person). The zoo will also celebrate Earth Week April 21–27 with special, free horticultural and nature programming.

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Lincoln Park Zoo actually offers nature programming for all ages and abilities. Those living with dementia and their caregivers can enjoy free activities, animal chats, and more at Memory Enrichment on the third Friday of each month. Meanwhile, the zoo’s youngest learners can enjoy LEAP: Learn, Explore, and Play in standalone Saturday sessions through May 10 (cost is $21 per session).

A mix of free and paid events, designed to appeal to a variety of people, allow the zoo to remain accessible to all while providing state-of-the-art animal care, funding conservation efforts around the world, and helping people of all ages learn about and connect with nature. The family-friendly Spring Egg-Stravaganza on April 19 still has a few egg hunt spots available, while Saturday Night at the Zoo (for adults only) takes place on May 10. Practice self-care at Sound Meditation With Jay Taylor at Pepper Family Wildlife Center on May 4. Then, kick the busy summer off in style with a new, free Memorial Day Weekend event, Summer Kickoff.

Red wolf at Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo

The zoo is even better if you’re a member! Early Bird Member Mornings take place on the second Saturday of each month, which means the next one is April 12. Join now—and enjoy everything the zoo has to offer all season long!