Welcome to Phillips Park Zoo!

WELCOME TO PHILLIPS PARK ZOO!

Self-Guided Tour

Please use this self-guided tour to help your group learn more about the animals at our zoo.

A couple of reminders:

 The tram ride runs Wednesday through Sunday between Memorial Day and Labor Day from 11:30-6:00, weather permitting. You MUST have 1 adult per 4 children to ride the tram or your group will not be allowed to ride.  The only bathroom is at the visitor center. There are portable bathrooms in the playground area and in the zoo by the Reptile House as well.

Before beginning your tour, please review the rules with your group.

 Littering and throwing items into animal enclosures is strictly prohibited. Litter and garbage should be placed into proper receptacles.  Feeding the zoo animals is strictly prohibited. Zoo animals are on a specific diet and feeding them may be harmful to their health.  Teasing and antagonizing the zoo animals in any way, as well as petting of the animals, is not allowed. Many of the animals may bite and are dangerous.  Climbing on walls and fences or crossing barriers is unsafe and forbidden.  Bikes, scooters, balls, and balloons are prohibited and must be left outside of the zoo gates.

We recommend starting your tour in the visitor center where your group can check out the mastodon gallery. This would also be a good time for your group to use the restroom. Please remember, no food or drinks are allowed in the visitor center.

Mastodon facts

. Mastodons first appeared about 20 million years ago. . Mastodons became extinct about 10,000 years ago. . Mastodons are slightly smaller than modern day elephants. . Mastodons were hunted by the first people to set foot in North America, just over 12,000 years ago. . Mastodons were herbivores. They grazed on plants, shrubs and trees. . Our mastodon skull weighs approximately 188 pounds. . The lower jaw weighs approximately 92 pounds. . Mastodon tusks are hollow (similar to modern elephant tusks). Our tusks have been filled with plaster to help hold their shape and preserve them longer. . Mastodons had shaggy coats of fur. . Mastodon teeth differ from modern day elephants. Elephant’s teeth are flat with convoluted enamel ridges. Mastodon teeth were better suited for eating thicker vegetation. . Mastodons weighed from 4 to 6 tons. . Mastodons were about 6 – 10 feet high at the shoulder. . Mastodons, when their bones were first discovered, were thought to be the mythical “Cyclops”. The center opening at the front of the skull actually is their nasal passage (the base of their trunk). The large openings on the sides of the skull are their ear openings. Their eyes were just in front of the ear openings.

After your group is done in the visitor center, go down the hill and enter the zoo. You will begin your tour at the Peafowl exhibit.

Peafowl have been kept in captivity for many centuries. It is the national bird of India. Males are called “peacocks” and are the ones with the long, colorful tail feathers. These tail feathers “molt”, or fall out, at the end of each summer and grow back the following year. Females are called “peahens” and the young are called “peachicks”. They live 15-20 years. Peafowl eat grains, insects, small reptiles and small mammals. Peafowl can weigh between 12-15 pounds.

Next, guide your group to visit the North American River Otters.

River Otters are very sensitive to environmental pollution. They were once considered endangered in Illinois, but due to cleanups of our rivers and streams they have made a comeback, and no longer are threatened. They eat fish, amphibians, turtles and crayfish. They live 10-15 years and are mostly solitary.

After you are done visiting the North American River Otters, turn to your right and visit the Turkey Vulture/Bald Eagle exhibit.

Eagles do not sweat; to stay cool, they seek out shade, pant, and hold their wings away from their body. They can fly at an altitude of 10,000 feet and reach speeds of 35 mph. Bald eagles became the national emblem in 1782. They eat mainly fish, rodents, waterfowl, and carrion. They live 15-20 years. Bald Eagles have a wingspan of 72-90 inches (6 – 7 ½ feet) and weigh up to 14 lbs. An interesting fact is that it is illegal to keep an Eagle feather. All eagle feathers must be mailed to the United States government. For a Bald Eagle to be kept in captivity in the United States, it must be declared non-releasable, usually due to injury. Turkey vultures do not eat live animals. A group of vultures is called “venue”. Vultures circling in the air are a “kettle”. Male and female turkey vultures are identical in appearance. A turkey vulture is one of the few birds of prey that is able to use it’s sense of smell to locate food.

Next, go to your left and visit the Great Horned Owls.

A Great Horned Owl is powerful enough to take prey two to three times heavier than itself. Owls are active generally more at dusk, but in some regions, maybe seen in late afternoon or early morning. Both sexes hoot, but males have a lower pitched voice than females. Owls eat rabbits, rodents, squirrels, reptiles and other birds. They weigh approximately 2-4 pounds with a wingspan of 36-60” (3 to 5 feet).

After visiting the Great Horned Owl, go up the hill and visit the cougars.

The cougar is the largest of the North American cats and is capable of purring, but not roaring. They can bound up to 40 feet running, leap 15 feet straight up a tree, and walk many miles at 10 mph. They can reach speeds of 50 mph in a sprint. Their diet consists primarily of deer. They live anywhere from 12 to 15 years and can weigh up to 200 pounds. Cougars are also called Mountain Lions, Panthers, Catamounts, or Pumas; what they are called differs only by regional dialect.

Beyond the Cougar exhibit is our barnyard where our chickens, turkey, and pygmy goats live together.

Benjamin Franklin wanted to make the turkey the symbol of America rather than the bald eagle. Turkeys do not migrate and are diurnal. (daytime) They roost in trees at night. Turkeys are very wary, and have keen eyesight and hearing. Turkeys are herbivores; eating primarily plants, seeds, and berries. They weigh 8-18 pounds with a wingspan 48” (4 feet).

Male chickens are called roosters while females are known as hens. Roosters are very protective of their hens and have special claws called “spurs” on the back of their legs which they use to defend their hens from other roosters.

Pygmy goats were first imported into the United States in the 1950’s. Male goats are called bucks and females are called does. Both sexes may or may not have horns. They eat grasses and leaves, but in captivity they eat hay and goat chow. They can live anywhere from 10-15 years. Walk straight ahead to the wolves. If it is hot outside, they may be keeping cool in their dens. The wolves are generally more active during the early morning or late afternoon, and may be seen more frequently on cold days.

The Wolf is the largest member of the canine family. A Wolf’s lifespan is about 12 years in the wild, and up to 16 in captivity. Wolves range in color from grizzled gray, to black, to all white. Wolves in the wild prey on mammals such as Elk, Moose and Deer. They will also feed on smaller mammals such as Beaver and Rabbits. In the wild, wolves live in family groups called packs, which are led by the mother and father wolf. In captivity, they are typically led by the most dominant wolves, which are referred to as the “alphas” and are the only ones allowed to breed. Wolves communicate by howling (vocalizing), scent marking, body expressions, and facial expressions.

After visiting the wolves, continue your tour by walking around out Birds of the Prairie exhibit, starting with our Prairie Chicken and Quail.

The Greater Prairie Chicken is endangered in Illinois due to habitat loss. The males of this species are known for their elaborate mating display, otherwise known as “booming”. This consists of a stomping dance and a loud call made by inflating the colorful air sacs located on the sides of the neck. You may see our Prairie Chicken perform in the spring. Females raise their young all on their own.

The Peregrine Falcon was once critically endangered due to the effects of certain pesticides, such as DDT, on their eggs. They have since made a full recovery due to the ban on DDT as well as large-scale protection of their nesting sites. Peregrine Falcons are the fastest animal in the world, capable of diving after prey at speeds of over 200 mph!

Harris’ Hawks are native to the Southwestern United States, south to Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. They are one of the only bird of prey species that hunt cooperatively in packs. Their intelligence and cooperative nature makes these birds a popular choice in falconry.

Barn Owls are the most widely distributed owl species in the world. While they are doing well throughout their overall range, they are endangered in parts of the United States, including Illinois, due to habitat loss. These owls are completely silent in flight due to specialized flight feathers and rely on their acute sense of hearing to hunt small ground animals in complete darkness. Red Tailed Hawks have excellent vision and see in color. The Red Tailed Hawk is the most common hawk species in the United States with their population estimated to be over 1 million. They are commonly seen along roadways and do well even in more human populated areas. Red Tailed Hawks are the most commonly used bird in falconry. Red tailed hawks live 5-10 years.

The Reptile House is your next stop. Please remember that strollers, food, and drinks are not allowed inside the Reptile House. Banging on the glass, running, climbing, and dangling or throwing objects into exhibits are strictly prohibited as well.

Feel free to look around at all of our Reptiles. We have a wide variety of lizards, turtles, snakes and even two alligators! For more information on each individual reptile, please refer to our website and click on the animal info link to the “Reptile House”, or review the informational signs on each enclosure. In the summer, you may view our tortoises outside in their exercise yard!

When you come out of the Reptile House there are two parrots to your left. On rainy days, or when it is below 70 degrees outside, our parrots may be off exhibit.

Macaws live 30-50 years. They eat fruits, berries, nuts and green plants of all kinds. Illegal traffic in live birds for the pet trade has put the species in immediate danger of extinction. The Macaw’s main enemies are the Harpy Eagle and the Hawk Eagle. Macaws are very rigorous animals; they tend to congregate in flocks of a hundred or more animals. Macaws fly in a group, with paired birds usually flying very close with their wings almost touching.

African Grey Parrots can live for up to 60 years in captivity. They are among the most intelligent bird species and have been shown to perform on the same cognitive level as a 4- to 6-year old human child. They are known for their ability to mimic (and even comprehend) human speech and other noises from around their environment. They are prone to anxiety and behavioral problems due to their sensitive nature. Due to the illegal pet trade, this species is currently protected as vulnerable in their home range.

After visiting the parrots, walk forward past the Reptile House toward the Elk observation deck.

Elk are the second largest members of the deer family – only the Moose is larger. Only the bull elk grows antlers. They are grown each year and shed, usually in late winter. Elk antlers can weigh 40 pounds and may grow to nearly 4 feet long. Elk feed primarily on grasses and woody plants. They are preyed upon by man, Mountain Lions, Bears, Wolves and Coyotes. There are about 1 million elk living in the United States. Elk are farmed in the United States for meat, and for the velvet that their antlers produce. The velvet is a primary ingredient for some holistic medicines. Elk live 8-12 years.

To conclude your tour, take a free ride on our tram. The tram runs Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30-6:00. The ride takes approximately 30 minutes. To wait for the ride, return to the visitor center and wait by the green gates. Please remember you must have 1 adult per 4 children or you will not be allowed on the tram ride.

There are picnic tables located throughout the park, as well as a large playground area for recreational time.

If you would like to see follow up lessons, please visit our website at www.phillipsparkaurora.com.