If you’ve ever wondered how the Brookfield Zoo looks from the perspective of one of its birds, you’ll have a chance to see for yourself next month.
The zoo announced Monday that a “towering” 130-foot-tall Ferris wheel will open March 15 through Dec. 31 in honor of the zoo’s 90th anniversary this year. The attraction will have 24 gondolas that each seat up to six guests, giving them views of the zoo’s habitats and gardens, as well as the Chicago skyline. A ride on the Ferris wheel, 70 feet shy of Navy Pier’s, will cost $8 for regular zoo visitors and $6 for zoo members.
The zoo also announced the arrival of new animals this summer. Two male koalas named Brumby and Willum will call the zoo home this summer through a loan partnership with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. The opening date of their habitat has not been announced. This will mark the first time in the zoo’s history that koalas live there, making the zoo the only accredited zoological organization in Illinois to have koalas. A new aviary based on North American prairies will also open in June to house two sandhill cranes and about a dozen greater prairie chickens, two species facing declining populations in the wild.
The zoo’s seven bottlenose dolphins will also be returning March 22 after they were moved to the Minnesota Zoo in 2022 so their habitat could be renovated.
For those celebrating Easter next month, the zoo announced a new event called the Bunny Hop on March 23. Guests will be able to participate in an all-day egg hunt throughout the zoo with live music and appearances from the Easter Bunny that afternoon. The zoo will also host buffet brunches with the Easter Bunny for families March 23, 30 and 31.
Finally, the zoo announced additions to its Wild Connections programming, which allows guests to get close to some animals at the zoo to learn more about them, sometimes even feeding or touching the animals. This year, guests will be able to get near sharks, flamingos, macaws and other animals for the first time. While the specific dates vary, each Wild Connections encounter will open in the spring and run at least until the fall.
