{"product_id":"the-ark-in-park-the-story-of-lincoln-park-zoo-9780252028618","title":"The Ark in Park: THE STORY OF LINCOLN PARK ZOO","description":"\u003cp\u003eDrawing visitors to the heart of Chicagos north side for 135 years  Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the oldest and most popular zoos in America. This thorough and fascinating history of the zoo combines archival materials  photographs  and oral histories to chronicle the zoos development and chart the unique role it has played not just in the growth of Chicago but in the establishment of zoos in cities across America.  Lincoln Park Zoo was established in 1868 when New Yorks Central Park Commissioners sent the Lincoln Park Commissioners the gift of two pairs of swans. The swans were such a popular attraction that the park commissioners began acquiring other animals and building quarters for them  adding a bear cage  a bison enclosure  a sea lion pool  an eagle exhibit  and an animal house  all before 1900.  Although the zoo was initially conceived as a primarily recreational attraction  its mission has evolved over time  with conservation  science  and education now forming central elements. Starting in 1884  when the zoo saw what was reportedly the first-ever birth of a North American bison in captivity  Lincoln Park Zoo has been part of the effort to study and protect endangered species from all over the world.  This comprehensive history of Lincoln Park Zoo also tells the wider story of the growth of the American zoo movement and the changes that have occurred in the past century  as zoos evolved from a leisure pursuit into a multimillion-dollar industry and an invaluable participant in global conservation efforts.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45914181074997,"sku":"ByrdShop_0252028619","price":336.37,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780252028618.jpg?v=1787338843","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-ark-in-park-the-story-of-lincoln-park-zoo-9780252028618","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}