Our Zoo, Our Future
The Milwaukee County Zoo & The Zoological Society of Milwaukee
Strategic Plan
The Milwaukee County Zoo is where our wild world thrives—and where our community comes alive.
It’s where children gasp as bonobos look them in the eye, then laugh as they scamper up a tree—and where grown-ups enjoy quality time outdoors while learning how to care for our planet in their own neighborhood.
It’s where experience-based learning makes science feel like a play day—and where we develop animal care and conservation insights that reach to Belize, helping shape conservation programs and partnerships at a national scale.
It’s where over 1.2 million annual guests share the joy and wonder of nature and a feeling of community, where families come together to experience the diversity of animals—including more than 2,200 animals from around the world that make their home here, where more than 75,000 young learners find educational programs that spark discovery, understanding, and lasting memories.
And it’s where the thriving communities we need for a brighter future—both human and wild—can come together in a way they could not anywhere else in Wisconsin.
At the Milwaukee County Zoo (MCZ) and its supporting partner, the Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM), we are proud of our decades of service to communities across our region and northern Illinois. We are honored to play central roles in our state today, as one of Wisconsin’s top 10 attractions (MCZ) and one of its largest membership programs (ZSM). And as we look to the future, we are ready to bring all our assets, our resources, and our communities together like never before—at a time when the world around us demands a bigger role from us.
The need is clear. Urgent, overlapping crises— food, water, energy, and climate challenges; inequitable access to the outdoors; biodiversity loss and environmental degradation—shape both our present and our future.
But zoos like ours can address these issues in a tangible and integrated way—and we’re determined to do so with the welcoming spirit and uplifting experiences that have always characterized the Milwaukee County Zoo and the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. Our Zoo can be a thriving public space for all the diverse communities who make our region great, can inspire and engage guests of all ages, can cultivate empathy for and connection to the natural world, and can link fun family experiences to meaningful social change like
no other. We can bring people together around the issues they care about most, while continuing to be a zoo for all by intentionally creating an inclusive culture that welcomes and celebrates the full diversity of our community, supporting Milwaukee County’s vision.
With this strategic plan, we mark a new beginning for the Milwaukee County Zoo— and inaugurate a new way of thinking about the people, organizations, and communities who give it life. For the first time, MCZ and ZSM have commited to a shared vision, mission, and strategic plan—to acting not as two organizations, but as one integrated Zoo Coalition for the years ahead. Extensive input from coalition-wide participation, multiple Blue Ribbon Panels, and engagement sessions with community leaders and outside experts, shaped every aspect of this plan. And we know we can only realize its potential together, as one Zoo Coalition and one community.
Our plan is to get to a world where people, wildlife, and wild places thrive—by supporting and sustaining thriving communities that bring people, wildlife, and wild places together, beginning right here in Milwaukee County and at our Zoo. We invite you to dig in and join us.
Amos Morris Executive Zoo Director Milwaukee County Zoo
Jodi Gibson President and CEO
Zoological Society of Milwaukee
VISION
A world where wildlife and people thrive.
MISSION
Inspire people to conserve wildlife and wild places.
VALUES
Inclusion
We strive to create and reinforce a sense of belonging within our culture and operations. We value individuals for their unique perspectives, capabilities, and contributions. We welcome them to fully and authentically participate.
Accountability
We create a culture of transparency and integrity. We hold ourselves to the highest standard. We accept responsibility for our actions and intentionally strive to improve.
Empathy
We demonstrate the ability to understand the diverse experiences and perspectives of our animals, our team, our communities, and our planet. We foster understanding in our communities to promote conservation action.
Fun
We embed fun in the work we do. It creates an enriching and memorable experience for guests and employees alike.
Respect
We are commited to caring for our animals, guests, and each other with compassion, consideration, and kindness.
Innovation
We bravely pursue and are willing to try new ideas. Even mistakes help us learn and grow.
Collaboration
We build strong relationships that seek out different perspectives and work together to maximize our collective impact.
KEY COMMITMENTS
CARE CONNECT
VISION
A world where wildlife and people thrive.
MISSION
Inspire people to conserve wildlife and wild places.
We strive to create and reinforce a sense of belonging within our culture and operations. We value individuals for their unique perspectives, capabilities, and contributions. We welcome them to fully and authentically particpate.
We create a culture of transparency and integrity. We hold ourselves to the highest standard. We accept responsibility for our actions and intentionally strive to improve.
Enhancing wellbeing and pursuing the highest standards in veterinary care, husbandry, and zoo habitat design.
Immersing people in nature and creating memorable, educational experiences that inspire empathy and environmental action.
CONSERVE
Saving wildlife and wild places here and across the globe by leading and partnering on conservation projects.
We demonstrate the ability to understand the diverse experiences and perspectives of our animals, our team, our communities and our planet. We foster understanding in our communities to promote conservation action.
We embed fun in the work we do. It creates an enriching and memorable experience for guests and employees alike.
We are committed to caring for our animals, guests, and each other with compassion, consideration, and kindness.
INNOVATION
We bravely pursue and are willing to try new ideas. Even mistakes help us learn and grow.
COLLABORATION
We build strong relationships that seek out di erent perspectives, and work together to maximize our collective impact.
Over the next 5 - 10 years, the Milwaukee County Zoo and the Zoological Society of Milwaukee will align all our resources and activities around one overarching goal: to build, cultivate, and sustain thriving communities that bring people, wildlife, and wild places together—at our Zoo, across Wisconsin, and with partners around the world. We will:
• Create even more inclusive, joyful, and immersive experiences to spread empathy for wildlife and love of wild places to new generations of zoogoers;
• Become a hub for community conservation efforts, bringing forward our research through learning-based activities that make the work of conservation science fun for millions of guests and inspire them to apply what they experience in their own homes and communities; and
• Step forward as an innovator and leader in 21st-century animal care and conservation— for Wisconsin and far beyond.
KEY COMMITMENTS
In executing this strategic vision, we will remain true to our Zoo Coalition’s identity and core beliefs even as we elevate ourselves within the larger community of zoos. Three Key Commitments will guide our activities and help translate our strategic vision into ideas and actions:
Care
Enhancing wellbeing and pursuing the highest standards in veterinary care, husbandry, and zoo habitat design.
Connect
Immersing people in nature and creating memorable, educational experiences that inspire empathy and environmental action.
Conserve
Saving wildlife and wild places here and across the globe by leading and partnering on conservation projects.
FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES
As we pursue these commitments, our guide will be the richness, dynamism, and complexity that sustain natural ecosystems. Across every aspect of our work—and across commitments that are as deeply intertwined as our Zoo Coalition, our communities, and our human and natural worlds— we will emphasize three Foundational Principles to inform all we do:
Culture
Our culture is what shapes our Zoo Coalition and brings MCZ and ZSM together as one team. It’s defined by our shared passion for conserving wildlife and wild places, researching and implementing new approaches to animal care, fostering meaningful experiences for our guests, and inviting our community to have empathy for the animals that inhabit our world alongside us, both in our own neighborhoods and in other regions and countries. At the same time, our culture is defined by each of us as individuals—hundreds of employees and experts, specialists in animal care, education, facilities, marketing, and volunteers—and what we bring to work every day. We believe that our Zoo Coalition, our animals, and our community stand to benefit when our people are fulfilled in their day-to-day roles and have the opportunity to continue growing and developing as professionals and contributors to our vision, mission, and values. We value our team members for who they are and commit to treating all people with respect and dignity all the time. We believe being a zoo for all is integral to our work in care and conservation.
Community Impact
The shared sense of purpose, pride, and fun we bring to our work extends beyond our grounds. By providing for the animals under our care, pursuing groundbreaking conservation work and research, and inspiring millions of zoogoers to harness the potential of conservation practices in their own neighborhoods, we are firmly embedded in the fabric of this community—part of a local and regional network that together helps shape and tell Milwaukee County’s story. But our story spans the nation and world, too, and our opportunity is to help our community—the people of Milwaukee County and Wisconsin—perceive the many ways in which they fit into an even wider narrative: a global community of conservationists.
Financial Strength and Stewardship
Together with our people and our community, we believe in the immeasurable value of animals and natural habitats everywhere. Our work is profound, but achieving results requires significant financial resources to make an impact. Similar to how we steward our region’s, our nation’s, and our planet’s natural gifts, we are committed to sound financial stewardship and the effective use of funds made available to us—earned or contributed, public or private. Alongside careful and thoughtful financial planning and execution, we are likewise devoted to inviting others to join us in making our vision a reality—current and future generations of supporters and donors who share our belief in the importance of investing in animal care and conservation.
CARE
ENHANCING WELLBEING AND PURSUING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS IN VETERINARY CARE, HUSBANDRY, AND ZOO HABITAT DESIGN
Everything we do to live our mission—and everything we hope to do in the future—begins with our animals and the care we provide them.
As the stewards of a 130-plus-year-old zoo with more than 2,200 animals representing more than 340 species from around the globe, we take seriously our service to animals and the responsibility to provide optimal, individualized care to each animal at our Zoo—all they require and deserve to meet their physical, mental, and social needs.
But we also know “care” means so much more—and our vision for the future requires embracing all it encompasses.
Care is about the attention we pay to every detail and the way we dedicate ourselves to providing the best for each animal—our expertise and practices today, as well as our commitment to continuously learning, innovating, and evolving; our facilities and zoo habitats as well as our staff, systems, and operational processes; our technological investments, as well as our consideration for the wellbeing and perspective of each animal at the zoo.
Care is how we open the door to conservation—not only providing lively, memorable experiences that cultivate empathy, but also living out what it means to care for our planet.
Care is about the passion we share for our wildlife, our wild places, and our work—and all the ways we can share that passion with our community, inviting everyone deeper into our animals’ stories and needs, as well as the realities of their species in their native range.
When we enhance animal wellbeing, we enhance everything our Zoo does for wildlife, for wild places, and for people. And in the coming years, we will bring the work of animal care to a higher level and into the open for our guests like never before. We will:
Continuously innovate to define what the next generation of animal care can be, and make strategic investments in staff development, capital needs, technology and systems to enhance animal wellbeing.
• Undertake a Zoo Coalition-wide initiative to define the operational aspects of animal care most in need of change and/or updating.
• Make ongoing and strategic investments in staff development, capital needs, and technology to deliver exemplary veterinary care, enhance animal wellbeing, and align the Zoo Coalition with both current and future best practices.
• Cultivate staff skills to build trusting relationships with our animals and stay on the forefront of animal care.
• Establish the Zoo Coalition as an innovator in the zoo community through ongoing professional training, state-of-the art equipment, and storytelling and sharing with our peers.
Invite our community into the work of animal care in all its complexity, using increased and intentional transparency while centering the perspectives and experiences of wildlife.
• Make informed choices to design zoo habitats that meet animal needs and help connect people and animals.
• Provide more opportunities for lively and meaningful guest engagement, increasing and enhancing interactions between guests and staff, programs and activities, and marketing and communications efforts that share the animal care work we do, as well as the insights and implications it provides.
• Evaluate guests’ perceptions of animal care as a determining factor in their enjoyment of their experience and update or modify plans accordingly.
Elevate zoo habitats (exterior and interior) to support the wellbeing of animals under the Zoo Coalition’s care 24 hours a day.
CONNECT
IMMERSING PEOPLE IN NATURE AND CREATING MEMORABLE, EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES THAT INSPIRE EMPATHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION
When you come to the Zoo, you come for an experience you won’t forget. Whether it’s a scenic ride on the train to create memories with your family, the raucous laughter of a class field trip or Zoo Camp as they watch a penguin waddle for the first time, or up-close, hands-on tours and educational experiences for learners of all ages, every guest has countless opportunities to relax, marvel, have fun, and learn about the natural world.
These are experiences we want everyone in our community to have. And they’re the beginning of the larger impact we hope to create—because when we provide an unforgettable and educational experience, we also forge a connection that lasts: to our animals, to our community, to nature, and to conservation.
As we look to our future, we know to deepen the Zoo’s role in education and in local and global conservation, we must enhance the entire continuum of guest and learner experiences— both in and beyond our Zoo. Our goal is to draw in our diverse community—both new and longtime guests—with lively and appealing experiences, to bring people closer to nature and eye-to-eye with spectacular animals, and to make science education, conservation, and environmental action not only more accessible, but a joyful undertaking in which we all share.
Ultimately, creating deeper connections with wildlife and wild places is how we give every community member an even better experience— and how we inspire a deeper commitment to learning and to conservation. In the coming years, we will:
Deliver educational experiences that inspire and empower all members of our community to take conservation action.
• Provide interactive, innovative, and engaging learning opportunities with our community, fostering empathy for animals and an emotional connection to the natural world.
• Enable guests and program participants to see themselves as conservationists and feel empowered to take conservation action.
• Engage the community more deeply and directly with the Zoo Coalition’s care and conservation work across its many communication vehicles.
• Leverage the Zoo Coalition’s master interpretive plan to ensure unified messaging among staff throughout the Zoo Coalition.
• Create a unified communications strategy centered on the value and impact of the Zoo Coalition’s care and conservation work locally, nationally, and globally.
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Create more meaningful and personal experiences for everyone in our community that build on generations of memories while highlighting the continuum of care and conservation work the Zoo Coalition performs.
• Embrace our park-like atmosphere and increase opportunities for guests to enjoy the park and experience nature alongside family, friends, and neighbors.
• Assess opportunities to expand and learn from interactive experiences such as Wild Connections tours.
• Implement processes to evaluate the impact of expanded efforts on attendance, membership, and revenue.
• Make the Zoo Coalition a more accessible place and partner for all our neighbors, with a focus on new and more diverse audiences, through community partnerships, programs, and initiatives that invite our many stakeholders to feel welcome and included in all aspects of our care and conservation work.
CONSERVE
SAVING WILDLIFE AND WILD PLACES HERE AND ACROSS THE GLOBE BY LEADING AND PARTNERING ON CONSERVATION PROJECTS
Conservation happens everywhere and takes many different forms. The scale, complexity, and dynamism of the field requires that we, as a Zoo Coalition, define a clear and adaptable approach to identifying and developing the conservation projects—whether local, global, or encompassing both—in which we will invest.
As we consider our future, “Pat Gives Back: Belize Conservation” will serve as the guide and model in which we take inspiration. For nearly two decades, our relationship with the Belize Zoo has shown how the understanding and care that begins with individual animals at our Zoo can extend to their cousins in the wild, to the ecosystems they inhabit, and to broad conservation efforts benefiting both people and wildlife. It has enabled our Zoo Coalition to support, sustain, and expand capacity-building initiatives among our Belize-based partners; conservation of and research into imperiled Belizean wildlife and wild places; and educational and community programs that help spread the word about the importance of conservation, both in Belize and at home.
Through Pat Gives Back, we have taken a multi-faceted approach enabling us to transfer what we learn in a zoological setting to the wild and to other zoos. In particular, we have developed expertise in restoring and caring for imperiled species, mitigating the conflicts that occur when human society and natural habitats come into contact, and training zoo professionals in other settings in the conservation methods needed to achieve success.
We have also acquired a nuanced appreciation of the demands designing and implementing successful conservation projects places on our people, and of the importance of securing funding to support both our ambitions and the infrastructure needed to have a true and lasting impact.
In refining and expanding our conservation work, we will be guided by what is best for our community, broadly sharing what we learn about conservation with our guests and educational program participants. In doing so, we will strengthen our position as a leader in conservation in Wisconsin and serve as a bridge to encourage others in Milwaukee County and around the world to focus on their own conservation work. Within 1 to 3 years, we will:
Identify 3 to 5 signature initiatives where we can make a unique and meaningful impact, focusing on those that align with the Zoo Coalition’s experience and expertise and include features such as the transfer of knowledge learned in a zoological setting to the wild, a focus on imperiled species, peaceful solutions that enable increased harmony between humans, wildlife, and wild places, and ensuring our staff acquire handson experience as educators of the public and partners to other organizations.
• Form an internal group to design a process whereby team members submit proposals for conservation projects and/or investments targeting local, regional, and global species.
• Implement a process to reevaluate the Zoo Coalition’s conservation strategy and assess its financial impact every 5 to 10 years.
• As conservation investments are identified, initiate internal discussions around allocating sufficient staff time and resources to ensure maximum impact and innovation.
• Reserve funds dedicated to smaller zookeeper- and staff-initiated projects (both current and new) that provide handson conservation experiences, strengthen employee engagement, and support our overarching goals—and let new ideas and nimble innovation come forward.
• Reach and inspire people, and activate conservation work across the state, by leaning into our unique position and role while further credentialing the Zoo Coalition as the leading conservation organization in Wisconsin.
• Expand conservation work benefiting local and regional species of concern.
Use animal husbandry to support research and conservation, advancing knowledge about animal biology, behavior, reproduction, and populations that can inform efforts to protect them—and the ecosystems they depend on— in their natural range.
Elevate conservation as a central piece of the Zoo Coalition’s DNA, integrating it into educational programs and communitybased activities while also continually seeking opportunities to communicate with and engage both internal and external stakeholders through effective storytelling.
CONCLUSION
From neighborhoods in Milwaukee County to Belize and beyond, the next 5 - 10 years are our opportunity to enact our mission, vision, and values to the fullest. Our empathetic animal care will begin and end with respect for the animals that call our Zoo home. Our conservation and research will position us as a leader at the forefront of 21st-century innovation. Our powerful storytelling and curated experiences, both fun and educational, will inspire new and diverse generations of zoogoers to explore how their own lives intersect and engage with wildlife and wild places. And of course the hard work and passion of our team members will make everything we do possible.
Each of us—zoo professionals, volunteers, and community members—has a role to play in implementing this strategic plan and holding our Zoo Coalition accountable to our three Key Commitments. As we CARE for our animals, CONNECT with our community, and CONSERVE wildlife and wild places, we will remain fully aligned as one team, one Zoo Coalition: the Milwaukee County Zoo and the Zoological Society of Milwaukee.
We invite you to join us in shaping our community’s understanding of how we—as a county, a state, and a region—can support and sustain wildlife and wild places everywhere.
LATIN AMERICAN TROPICS
Belize Jungle
The Latin American Tropics provides a sanctuary for guests to learn about and appreciate the incredible biodiversity of tropical rainforests. It serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting these ecosystems, which are not only home to countless species but also provide vital ecological services for our planet.
The habitat is designed to replicate the diverse ecosystems found in Belize, a Central American country renowned for its diverse ecosystems from montane cloud rainforests to colorful coral reefs. Thick foliage, vibrant flowers, and cascading vines create a mesmerizing tapestry of greenery, while gentle misters emulate the humidity that is characteristic of this tropical environment.
Cloud Forest
The air is filled with a symphony of sounds, echoing the calls of exotic birds, the chirping of insects, and the gentle rustling of leaves as unseen creatures move through the undergrowth. Captivating aromas of damp earth, fragrant flowers, and the rich scent of foliage tantalize your senses, immersing you in the sensory experience of a true rainforest.
As you explore the winding paths, you encounter a diverse array of flora and fauna that call the rainforest home. Tropical birds with vibrant plumage flit between branches, while colorful butterflies dance through the air.
Orchids and bromeliads cling to tree trunks, showcasing their vibrant hues, and a variety of ferns and mosses carpet the forest floor, adding to the immersive ambiance.
PROGRAM
Outdoor
Indoor
Indoor
Terrariums/Pools (6)
LATIN AMERICAN TROPICS
Mesoamerican Reef
Dive into the mesmerizing beauty of the Mesoamerican coral reef, a vibrant underwater wonderland that teems with life and color. In the crystal-clear waters, you are greeted by a kaleidoscope of coral formations, each one a testament to the intricate artistry of nature. The reef stretches out before you, an expansive ecosystem that is home to an incredible array of marine species. Schools of tropical fish dart among the coral, a magnificent sea turtle glides in the water, and sharks and rays gracefully sweep through the currents. The reef pulses with life, with every nook and cranny offering a new discovery. This underwater paradise serves as a reminder of the delicate balance of our oceans and the importance of preserving these precious ecosystems for generations to come.
PRIMATES OF THE WORLD
Great Apes and More
Primates of the World is one of the more robust guest experiences at the Zoo. It is inhabited by many charismatic animals and provides an indoor oasis from extreme cold or heat for guests. However, the habitats need to be renovated to reflect contemporary animal management standards. Many of the animals can only be viewed indoors and the few outdoor habitats are constructed from heavy caging material and appear to constrict the animals rather than allowing them to behave as you might see them in their natural range.
This area has great potential to tie to historic and ongoing field conservation supported by the Zoo. It has the ability to connect guests to great apes in a new way, specifically bonobos and gorillas up close and personal, and inspire advancements in the care of these animals and their habitat design across the industry.
Congo Basin Rainforest
Step into a lush and vibrant rainforest environment, carefully crafted to replicate the natural habitat of bonobos and gorillas. The air is filled with the sounds of chirping birds, rustling leaves, and distant waterfalls, transporting you to the heart of the Congo Basin.
A series of interconnected habitats allow the African apes to move freely and explore their surroundings. Thick foliage and dense vegetation provide ample opportunities for the bonobos and gorillas to climb, swing, and exhibit their remarkable agility.
The highlight of the habitat is the Great Ape Habitat, strategically positioned for guests to observe both the bonobos and gorillas in their natural habitat. From this vantage point, you can witness their playful interactions,
nurturing behaviors, and social dynamics, offering a glimpse into their highly intelligent and empathetic nature.
Throughout the habitat there are dedicated areas for enrichment activities, where apes can engage in problem-solving tasks, foraging for food, and engage in playful behaviors. Come and immerse yourself in the world of the Congo Basin, where you can observe their fascinating behavior, learn about their remarkable social structures, and develop a newfound respect for these primates.
PROGRAM
African Ape 1 (Outdoor)
African Ape 2 (Outdoor)
Gorilla (Indoor)
Bonobo (Indoor)
Medium Primate (Outdoor) 24,775
THE WILD NORTH
Temperate to Taiga
Located between the West Entry and Nourish 414, the Wild North offers guests the opportunity to travel from the temperate forests of Wisconsin to the taiga of North America. Temperate forests are unique for their drastic change in seasons. Approaching from the east, at the edge of the forest you see a pack of wolves before you duck under the dense deciduous forest canopy. The path breaks through the tree line and brings you across the lake through the wetland reeds. A moose plunges into the water and swims to cool off. From the boardwalk, eagles can be seen in the treetops as a pair of cranes hunt for fish along the water’s edge.
Trees will transition from deciduous to coniferous, which signifies the change from a temperate climate to the taiga. Boreal forests, also known as taiga, are found only in the northern hemisphere. These forests are known for harsh winters and needleshaped leaves on trees. Vegetation in these areas is less dense allowing a better view of the geological aspect of the region. Walking along, you encounter a pair of wolverines frolicking under the forest canopy. As the path continues, the trees open and reveal a clearing with bears wading in a babbling stream that flows down into a small pond.
A shelter provides shade in the summer and heat in the winter while you watch bears swimming in the pond through a split-level glass view. Upon leaving the shelter, you look up and see a mountain lion crossing a fallen log over the path before they disappear into the forest.
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THE WILD NORTH
Indigenous Culture
We honor the Indigenous lands upon which our Zoo calls home. The Potawatomi, Menominee, Ho-Chunk and Sauk Nations have occupied the lands of southeastern Wisconsin since time immemorial. Indigenous teachings emphasize reciprocal relationships with the land and animals, fostering a profound sense of responsibility to care for the natural world.
We seek to respect, listen and understand Indigenous heritage by being activated to form new partnerships that will help shape and inform our Wild North habitats. Our vision is to create a world where wildlife and people thrive. It is our responsibility to listen and understand Indigenous peoples who inhabited these lands and their relationship to Wisconsin wildlife. The Wild North will provide learning opportunities for our guests to engage with a range of northern wildlife from Wisconsin and beyond.
https://wisconsinfirstnations.org/map/
Image: Tribal Lands Map, Wisconsin First Nations,
Support Our Mission
Please join us in advancing our mission of inspiring people to conserve wildlife and wild places, so we can create a world where wildlife and people thrive.
For more information, visit our websites at zoosociety.org milwaukeezoo.org
To support this mission, contact us at ourzoo@zoosociety.org
