Lincoln Park Zoo

Grant's gazelle
Our Grant’s gazelle is a browsing ruminant that is fed wild herbivore grain and alfalfa. She also receives the occasional produce treat. Feeding her costs almost $500 per year.

American Avocet
Avocets are migratory shorebirds whose zoo diet includes fish, krill, cat food and insects. Each of these small birds costs $75 a year to feed.

Sichuan Takin
These large, herbivorous mammals weigh in at 500–900 pounds and look like a combination of a goat and a cow. Their diet consists of herbivore grain and alfalfa. Each takin costs about $5 a day to feed, adding up to $1,825 annually per animal.

Pygmy Loris
Pygmy loris are small primates that live in the forests of Asia. They are omnivores, feeding on plants and animals. Our pair is fed primate biscuits, insects and produce at a cost of about 30 cents a day, which is roughly $2 per pound of food.

Oriental Fire-bellied Toad
These brightly colored amphibians are carnivores, relying on movement to identify prey.  Their diet consists of crickets treated with a vitamin supplement to enhance nutrition. Our group of fire-bellied toads eat more than 18 crickets per feeding, costs less than a dollar a week. Photograph by LA Dawson

Dwarf Crocodiles
An adult dwarf crocodile's diet rotates between one rat and four chicks every other week. Juveniles get insects, mice, fish and pellets specially made for crocodiles. Their growth is monitored weekly.

On average, feeding each dwarf crocodile costs $0.50 per week—less than $100 per year.