1 Slide | Radio Broadcast

Steve Dale & Mark Rosenthal

Bill Moller and Steve Dale talk to Mark Rosenthal, Curator Emeritus at Lincoln Park Zoo and author of The Ark in Park, about animals, videos, and more.

About Mark Rosenthal

A Conversation with Mark Rosenthal, Retired Curator of Mammals at the Lincoln Park Zoo.

One of the oldest zoos in the nation, the Lincoln Park Zoo has been a leader in the zoo field for over a century. No one knows this better than Mark Rosenthal, retired Curator of Mammals from the zoo. He has an intimate knowledge of its history few have both from personal experience and documenting the stories of others. Rosenthal authored The Ark in the Park, a book on the history of the zoo, and since retirement has been involved with the Zoo and Aquarium Video Archive, which contain hours upon hours of video interviews with retired zoo professionals.

Courtesy of Steve Dale and WGN Radio

About Mark Rosenthal

Mark Rosenthal
Download Curricula Vitae

Curator

Lincoln Park Zoo: Chicago, Illinois

Curator Emeritus

Mark had an early introduction to the Lincoln Park Zoo having grown up across the street and literally visiting it every day as a youngster. His early memory is meeting zoo director Marlin Perkins on the grounds while Mr. Perkins was filming his television show Zoo Parade. He received his undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University and graduate degree from Northeastern University. His zoo career started at the Children’s Zoo in 1967.

Jobs as an animal keeper, zoologist followed and in 1975 he became Curator of Mammals. In 2003 he retired as Abra Prentice Wilkin Curator of Large Mammals. As International Studbook Keeper for the Spectacled Bear he served from 1983-2003. The publishing and sharing of information was introduced early in his career and was culminated in the book, Ark in the Park, the History of Lincoln Park Zoo.

He is a co-founder of the Zoo & Aquarium Video Archive.

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