Page 34 - Gateways 2024_Spring flip_Neat

B ro o k f i e ld Z o o M e m o ri e s
Brookfield Zoo Memories continued

“I knew that this
was my future.”

•DR. ELISE CIR IBASSI

My most memorable time at Brookfield Zoo was the start
of my 40-plus-year career as a veterinarian with an intense
interest in exotic animals. I was in high school in the 1970s
and in 1979, I took an internship with Merle Nelson at the
giraffe house at Brookfield. Memories of cleaning and feeding
the giraffes, and talking with Merle about the history and
antics of the Zoo creatures he cared for, are seared on my brain.
I still dream of Shorty (the breeding male at the time) taking
hay from me while I filled the feeding bag hanging on his
fence from a ladder!
We also cared for the wolves at that time and a new baby
Arctic fox litter in their little den. We discussed transporting
various species to other zoos in the country and the behavior of
baboons at their exhibit. I knew that this was my future.
From graduation from vet school in 1984 to retirement in
2015 (my husband and I worked at a mixed-animal practice,
then owned a small-animal clinic), I never lost that dream.
For 28 of those years, I shared a zoo veterinary position taking
care of the creatures at a small local zoo in DuPage County and
loved every minute. While we didn’t have giraffes, caring for
all of my patients always put a smile on my face.

“Isis… let out those

magical roars!”

•JEN NIFER M A RTENS

It was July 31, 2019. We were wrapping up our day and
visiting the lions last…Zenda and Isis! They were being
playful with each other at the back of their area. Isis began
walking toward the front and let out those magical roars!
Then Zenda joined in. It was so awesome and unexpected.
The best part is I got it all on video!
I feel so lucky and blessed to have experienced this…
even more so because they both passed the following January.
I had heard Zenda roar once on a previous Zoo visit and was
amazed. Ever since then, visiting the lions is always the last
thing we do with the hopes of seeing them be a little more
active and hearing them roar again. I never imagined hearing Thank you Brookfield Zoo for caring for all these wonderful
Isis roar, especially with her partner, Zenda, joining in. animals and providing magical experiences and education for
I will always cherish that moment and my video of it. me and my family!

34 GATEWAYS | BROOKFIELD ZOO MEMORIES