Brookfield Zoo’s Ring-tailed Lemurs Treated to a Special Thanksgiving Feast

Brookfield, Ill. — The annual tradition of an early Thanksgiving feast for Brookfield Zoo’s ring-tailed lemurs took place today. This year’s meal featured a special theme in celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the popular “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” which aired for the first time in 1973.

Those familiar with the nostalgic holiday special, may recall that the Thanksgiving meal the lead character prepared for his friends did not feature the usual fare of turkey, dressing, and cranberry sauce, but instead included an array of snack food items.

The Zoo’s creative animal care staff replicated the iconic meal while still keeping it nutritious for the two ring-tailed lemurs—Ramses and Moses, who are both 16 years old. The primates seemed to enjoy their feast of popcorn (air-popped, no salt or butter); toast, which was made of primate biscuit mixed with honey; jelly beans that were created with strawberry and lime sugar-free gelatin in coffee bean molds; pretzel sticks made of primate biscuits; and apple juice in cups featuring the zigzag pattern on the cartoon character’s shirt. Additionally, the lemurs were treated to pies made of a primate biscuit crust and filled with mashed sweet potatoes garnished with almonds and puffed rice cereal. (The ice cream parfaits, which did not interest the lemurs, were made of tissue paper and strictly décor.)

Before families and friends enjoy a Thanksgiving Day meal, they can venture over to Brookfield Zoo on Thursday, November 23. Admission to the Zoo is free on Thanksgiving Day (a parking fee still applies). Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit CZS.org.

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 Photo Captions (credit: Jim Schulz/CZS-Brookfield Zoo)
3310, 3321, 3334, 3342, and 3354: Brookfield Zoo’s ring-tailed lemurs were treated to their 10^th annual Thanksgiving feast. This year’s meal featured a special theme in celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the popular “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” which aired for the first time in 1973.

About the Chicago Zoological Society
The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. The Chicago Zoological Society is a private nonprofit organization that operates Brookfield Zoo on land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The Society is known throughout the world for its international role in animal population management and wildlife conservation. Brookfield Zoo is the first zoo in the world to be awarded the Humane Certified™ certification mark for the care and welfare of its animals, meeting American Humane Association’s rigorous certification standards. The Zoo is located at 8400 31st Street in Brookfield, Illinois, between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and also is accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Metra commuter line, and CTA and PACE bus service. For further information, visit CZS.org.