Protests at Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago seems to be the centre of protests by animal welfare activists on an on-going basis.
Conditions for the animals in the zoo must be exceptionally bad as animal deaths are reported regularly. It’s a shame, because zoos play an important role in helping endangered animals alive. There must be something wrong at a zoo where 3 monkeys die in one week.

I much prefer Fota Wild Life Park here in Cork as the animals have so much more room to roam.

Since October, the zoo’s two other elephants, two gorillas, a camel and three langur monkeys have died. The monkeys died this week after being transferred to another exhibit.

15 comments on ' Protests at Lincoln Park Zoo '

Great photojournalism shots! Well done.

Written by Micki on March 13, 2006 at 11:00am
You already look like a photojournalist capturing this moment. I love the second photo, the reporter didn’t look too enthuasiast about the protest

Written by Eric on March 13, 2006 at 11:55am
Thanks guys. Eric, you should have seen another shot I have of that interview. The reporter is almost yawning and looking away from the girl!

Written by Donncha on March 13, 2006 at 4:00pm
great emotional capture in the first one!

Written by afraidtosee on March 13, 2006 at 5:06pm
I could see these in a newspaper. Wonderful!

Written by Gavin on March 13, 2006 at 8:00pm
Thanks again! As far as I remember, a similar picture made the front page of a local newspaper called Red Eye! I possibly still have it here somewhere but it’s probably in the attic at this stage!

Things have been so hectic around here that I haven’t even got around to looking at any photoblogs today!

Written by Donncha on March 13, 2006 at 8:11pm
I love the look of the reporter in the second shot. The coat, the stance, the arm, the way he’s holding the mic, and his expression. Great shots!

Written by Phil on March 14, 2006 at 12:16am
Great street shots ! Nice !!!

Written by Sidney on March 14, 2006 at 1:22am
Donncha - I guess for a journalist/reporter this “peace” protest is way too boring Hey, I didn’t notice “the” problem but I’m sure you’ll get it done soon. Good luck!

Written by Eric on March 14, 2006 at 2:18am
Wow! I like this series. Tells an interesting story.

Written by coffeelover on March 17, 2006 at 9:24pm
Maybe, you need to ask for donations, or for the sake of Chgo. and Animals llfes of course make it a payig zoo. At, least so animals lifes can be better; and have more space to roam.

Written by j. thedford on May 07, 2006 at 2:21am
I believe the Lincoln Park Zoo is a very beautiful place. It is great to have such an institution in the heart of Chicago where one can go to learn about endangered species of the world and learn of the interdependence of all living things. They have taken major steps towards becoming one of the best havens for animals in America. To see the developement of the zoo from the 1960s to now is amazing. The Regenstein Center for African Apes, the Kolver Lion House, the African Journey building, all very beautiful places. It is also one of the only few free institutions in America today and it is very famous for this. They have an exstensive staff, including a great verinary team who know how to care for animals and keep them healthy, a great group of dedicated curators, and a great group of other members of the staff. Animals do die, it is a part of the circle of life, but do not be quick to anger. Already in zoos animals are living way longer than in nature as there is less threat to disease and death, so to be so angry for animals dying is our natural tendency, but in truth it is part of the complex circle of life.Once you become as Emerson states, "the transparent eyeball", you will be able to see the interconnectedness of man and nature and will understand this circle of life, or the wheel of Brahma, but before you can become as this "eyeball" you must put your human egotism behind as nature is a strong force, and to think that we are above it is wrong. All living things die.

Written by Flickr: bigeth18 on March 18, 2007 at 7:39am
Zoos sometimes have colections of animals who are the same age and tend to die at the same time. This happens a lot when a zoo has a group of siblings. I will not try to defend any problems at the Lincoln Park Zoo but any facility aproved by the AZA probably is ok. We should not make a huge deal of a small series of misfortunate events. If these death continue for a long period, like a year or two, then there is a problem.

Written by camden on December 20, 2007 at 3:44am
At the LA zoo they also have this just because one of the elephants died even though she was really old. The activist blame the zoo for her death even though the zoo had nothing to do about it.

Written by Flickr: mstickmanp on June 03, 2008 at 7:47am
zoos are not natural. a zoo in chicago is definitely not natural. you cannot replicate south africa when it is feb in chicago. use all the forced heat you want. i think zoos are a 1920’s antiquated way of entertaining people. the last time i went to lp zoo i saw a silverback ape. i forget his name. i think he was something like 72 years old. i will never forget the way this ape stared back at me through his glass and concrete CELL with a few scraps of hay on the floor and some milk crates hung from the ceiling. looking into this apes eyes, i saw nothing but dementia. this ape was going insane. you will know it when you see it. you tell me that that is aprt of his “circle of life”. i;m not a hard core animal activist, but after seeing that and hearing about the deaths at the zoo, i refuse to set foot in there. there was once a time in history when slavery was allowed. there was a time when men gathered at giant colleseums to watch one another fight eachother to the death in pits filled with lions. i hope one day that man can see that keeping animals in cages isn’t educational; it’s unethical.

Written by shmertly on June 04, 2008 at 8:39pm