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POPULATION PLANNING continued
What is the purpose of population planning How often do you review
at a zoo? How does population planning Brookfield Zoo’s population plan
support Brookfield Zoo’s mission? or look at making changes to it?
Population planning is a guiding management plan for a Our population plan is set on a five-year
zoological park or aquarium’s animal program department. It cycle; however, we review it on a yearly
essentially maps out what the institution’s animal population basis and make appropriate changes. Many
will consist of and where the institution’s animal population times, when we select a new species for the
will be in the future (in the case of the Chicago Zoological zoo, we are not always sure when they will
Society, in five years). The population plan is built upon the become available within that five-year cycle,
institution’s strategic master plan and supports the institution’s so updates are needed. There are also times
mission and vison. As part of our mission to inspire conservation when a new species becomes available that
leadership, we select species that will allow us to better engage we had not originally planned on, but it
with our guests and community while ensuring our conservation meets our criteria and mission, so we try
messaging is strong and relevant to our community. to take advantage of the opportunity.
32 GATEWAYS | A CALCULATED ROUTE
