Word of the day: blep.

This behavior is more than just cute; sticking their tongues out helps red pandas smell! This species have a gland in their mouth that enhances their sense of smell, and the tongue helps direct odors to that gland.

Finely checks out Paatsy the aardvark at Regenstein African Journey.

📸Amanda Kalinowski

We're thrilled to have Shermann Dilla Thomas host this year's #BestofChicago Celebration! Join us on 4/25 at Lincoln Park Zoo for a night of fun, live entertainment, and so much more! Get your tickets here: chicagoreader.com/boc-party/

Discover beauty of nature in the heart of Chicago at @lincolnparkzooNature Boardwalk. This 14-acre restored prairie is part of the accredited arboretum, hosting research by the Urban Wildlife Institute. 🌿 #IMLSmedals 📷: Brandon Tucker

Pepper Family Wildlife Center at @LincolnParkZoo is home to a pride of African lions.🦁The habitat offers heated rocks, climbing trees & floor-to-ceiling windows so guests can get nose-to-nose with the only social cat species. #IMLSmedals 📷: Christopher Bijalba, Brandon Tucker

Did you know? Lincoln Park Zoo's Urban Wildlife Institute uses motion-sensor cameras to understand Chicago’s biodiversity and promote wildlife-friendly cities. This fieldwork has been replicated in more than 50 sites across four countries! #IMLSmedals 📷: Brandon Tucker

.Lincoln Park Zoo’s Goualougo Triangle Ape Project is based in the Republic of Congo, the only place in the world where chimpanzees & gorillas share a habitat.🦍Research aids conservation efforts, expands protected areas & promotes sustainability. #IMLSmedals 📷: Jillian Braun

Dive into Lincoln Park Zoo’s Partners in Fieldwork program, empowering students with authentic, hands-on wildlife research while learning about nature in their neighborhoods & tackling urban conservation challenges. #IMLSmedals 📷: Julia Fuller

Experience Lincoln Park Zoo's commitment to accessibility with their Memory Enrichment program for dementia patients – the only zoo-based program of its kind. Additional tools include visual schedules, sensory kits, & ASL chats. 🌿 #IMLSmedals 📷: Lincoln Park Zoo

Sound up 🔊



Guess who’s back? Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House is open! Stop by to visit around 200 small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and birds, such as the prehensile-tailed porcupines Flora and Pierre!

#IMLSmedals finalist Lincoln Park Zoo inspires the communities to create environments where wildlife thrives in our urbanizing world. More than 3 million visitors each year are welcomed by Adelor the lion statue at the East Gate! 🦁 #IMLSMedals 📷: Eleonora Paonessa

LaMancha goats don't have ears. Just KID-ing 😜 Happy April Fool's Day!

They do have ears, they're just so small that they can appear to not exist! Depending on the length, their ears are either called “elf” ears if they're larger, or “gopher” ears if on the smaller side. 🐐

As he continues to recover from his recent surgery and begins to feel better, African lion Lomelok’s personality continues to shine with rolling around on his back (his favorite way to sleep!) and vocalizing back and forth with the pride.