Taking care of the zoo’s animals involves designing diets to meet a variety of nutritional needs. The Lincoln Park Zoo Nutrition Center provides healthful meals for animals ranging from rhinos to Madagascar hissing cockroaches. The daily menu covers shanks of beef, strawberries and everything in-between.

The zoo's commissary gives new meaning to the concept of buying in bulk.  

FEATURED DIET SNAPSHOT North American River Otters These semi-aquatic mammals eat commercial-brand carnivore food, bones and a variety of fish treated with vitamin E. Feeding each otter costs $2.52 per day, $18.29 per week and $951.08 per year!

What is HACCP?
To ensure that animals’ meals are as sanitary as possible, Lincoln Park Zoo’s nutrition technicians follow a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) system. Color-coded knives and cutting boards are used to process the different types of food. Green boards and knives located at the south end of the food-prep area are dedicated to carrots, cauliflower, and other plant products, while carnivorous cuisine is prepared at the north end of the food-prep area using red (meat) and brown (fish) cutting boards and knives. This system helps prevent cross-contamination and the illness that could follow.