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Arrivals and Departures

March 8, 2023

Just decades ago, many animals were captured in the wild and moved to zoos. Today, thanks to advances in husbandry, standards of care and successful breeding programs, most zoo animals are born in zoos. Each of these animals has a story that begins with where it was born and includes all the zoos it has…

Lemur Update

February 3, 2023

February 3, 2023 On Wednesday January 11th, a family overheard noises in their garage, and thinking it was just a local wild animal or stray cat, they were surprised to see that it was a ring-tailed lemur. The family contacted the Illinois Conservation Police, who asked the Miller Park Zoo for assistance. Jay (Miller Park…

Who’s Who at the Zoo

February 3, 2023

Pearl Yusuf – General Curator This past June Pearl arrived at Miller Park to take on the job of General Curator. She is responsible for the care and welfare of the animals and those who care for the animals. Her life-long passion for animals has led to a variety of jobs and some very unusual…

Not your Mother’s Kitchen

December 9, 2022

December 9, 2022 The two kitchens at the zoo have some things in common with your mother’s kitchen: refrigerator, freezer, microwave, sink, fruits, and vegetables. However, they have many differences: over 110 animal diets, frozen mice, cans of dog food, 50-pound bags of various pellets, and mealworms. Enough to feed an army The larger of…

Internships at Miller Park Zoo

November 10, 2022

November 10, 2022 When the zoo began having interns most of their work was data entry and cleaning.  In the last five years the intern program has evolved to include many other responsibilities such as research projects.  Today internships last 15 weeks. Most interns are full-time working five days a week. Local students learn about…

Honeybees at Miller Park Zoo

Where the bugs are

August 10, 2022

August 10, 2022 Zoolab, at Miller Park Zoo, is a place for discovery where guests can play games and work on puzzles.  Many of the smaller animals and insects live in Zoolab. It is also home to the education animals that travel to schools and other venues, bringing Zoo education to the community. Small but…

Three baby mulefoot hogs, one looking at the camera

What’s in a Name?

July 5, 2022

On May 30, a litter of Mulefoot Hogs were born at Coop’s Mound Mulefoots in Carlinville, Illinois. From that litter, one male was chosen to make the two-hour drive to his new home at Miller Park Zoo. The Zoo has big plans for this little hog, and the fun starts with an exciting contest. About…

Close up of a flamingo at Miller Park Zoo

The Flamboyance is Back!

June 8, 2022

The first animal guests usually see when they enter Miller Park Zoo is a group of flamingos. Often referred to as a flock, the official name for a group of flamingos is a flamboyance. These flamingos, along with all other birds at the Zoo, have been in quarantine to avoid any chance of exposure to…

The carousel at Miller Park Zoo

Going Around Miller Park Zoo

May 9, 2022

The first carousel arrived at Miller Park Zoo in 1945 and has been enchanting visitors ever since. Learn more about this Zoo fixture.

MPZ is proudly accredited by the AZA

AZA Accreditation – Maintaining Elite Status

April 4, 2022

April 4, 2022 (updated January 6, 2023) Did you know Miller Park Zoo is among the fewer than 10% of animal exhibitors licensed by the US Department of Agriculture that is also accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)? For over 40 years, the AZA has been the primary accrediting organization for zoos…