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breaking the mold (1966) todaysecond nature (2001)

The first Mold-A-Rama machine is installed. Hamill family Play Zoo, the first exhibit based on nature
play for children ages birth to 10 years old, opens.
Now: Thirteen Mold-A-Rama machines are
Now: Children continue to be delighted in this
still operating at Brookfield Zoo, and millions
of figures have been made over the years— exhibit as they connect with nature in fun and
including special limited-edition holiday figures exciting ways. CZS staff have also expanded this
during Holiday Magic. These figures continue program exponentially—not only are children
to be a hit with all ages, exciting young guests engaging in nature play at Brookfield Zoo, but
while evoking nostalgia in older visitors. These through our NatureStart™ initiative, CZS staff are
machines might not seem like much, but they are instructing informal educators at zoos, aquariums,
one of the small things that has made Brookfield nature centers, and other conservation organizations
Zoo a special destination for decades. how to deliver effective nature-play-inspired, early-
childhood programs. The impact of this training
answering the call (1971) can be seen in programming that is developing
across the country.
The Volunteer League is created.
home for pangolins (2014)
Now: CZS has 1,439 volunteers, who help with
Bill Zeigler, the society’s senior vice president of animal
everything from education to research to directing guests programs, proposes bringing about four dozen white-
around the park to special events. In 2018, volunteers bellied tree pangolins from their native Togo, a small
contributed 82,523 hours to CZS. Some volunteers have country in west Africa, to accredited U.S. institutions.
loved participating in this program so much that they have Pangolins are the world’s most illegally trafficked
been volunteering for more than 40 years! Our volunteers mammal, and a consortium to protect them is formed.
truly help the zoo run smoothly and allow us to
participate in our many conservation efforts. Now: CZS is leading the charge in pangolin

making magic (1982) conservation. Not only do we have 11 pangolins
thriving under our care, in 2018, we hosted the
The first Holiday Magic is held. first-ever International Symposium on Pangolin
Care and Conservation. More than 50 experts
Now: Holiday Magic is Chicagoland’s from all over the world came to Brookfield Zoo
to collaborate on strategies for saving these
largest and longest-running lights festival, threatened animals.
featuring more than one million
twinkling LED lights. In 2018, Holiday We’re so grateful to our members, guests,
Magic expanded even further, as the zoo
held its first-ever Reindeer Run and volunteers, and staff who make this life-changing work
Lights & Lagers events, which allowed possible. Each year we continue to do more and more
zoo visitors to experience the magical amazing things, and we cannot wait to see what we
lights in new and special ways. accomplish in upcoming years, decades, and century! █

1987 43,933 181,670
The Nutrition Department
is created. pounds of meat pounds of fish

32 GATEWAYS | 2018 IMPACT REPORT 234,684 813,196

pounds of produce insects (crickets

165,670 and earthworms)
pounds of hay 570 eggs