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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE RETURN OF BROOKFIELD ZOO CHICAGO'S DOLPHINS AND ANIMAL CARE SPECIALISTS
WHEREAS, Brookfield Zoo Chicago is home to seven bottlenose dolphins who, for the past 15 months, have lived at fellow Association of Zoos and Aquariums' accredited Minnesota Zoo as an extensive $10 million renovation took place on their Seven Seas habitat; and
WHEREAS, During those 15 months, the dolphins continued to be cared for by Brookfield Zoo Chicago's marine mammal care team; all nine members of the team, as well as veterinary staff, rotated up to Minnesota for varying lengths of time during the project; two staff members, Bethany and Heather, remained in Minnesota for the entire 15 months; and
WHEREAS, While there, staff provided daily care to the dolphins and engaged with them in the same manner they do in Cook County, feeding and training the dolphins five times per day, and engaging in two daily presentations for Minnesota Zoo guests; and
WHEREAS, The renovation of the 37-year-old Seven Seas habitat was aimed at enhancing both animal wellbeing and guest experience, and added a variety of dynamic elements to the dolphins' habitat to enrich their daily lives, including rockwork structures with anchors where animal care staff can attach enrichment items such as kelp strips and floating objects; a shallow sand pit, where staff can hide enrichment items or food; and built-in bubbler systems where the dolphins can play with the bubbles, roll over them, or maneuver objects over the stream; and
WHEREAS, The new exhibit theming reflects Sarasota Bay, Florida, where Brookfield Zoo Chicago's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program is based; the longest-running study of dolphins in the wild, this program has provided information on the species' biology, behavior, health, ecology, social structure, and communication, benefiting marine mammal conservation programs around the globe; and
WHEREAS, New hydrophones (underwater microphones) will enable resear...
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