Publication Date: 06/10/2026

There’s Something New Around Every Corner at Cosley Zoo

Cosley Zoo welcomed three mini-Nubian Goats, Mindy the Kaleidoscope, a Pollinator garden, and will be hosting a new Boots & Bandanas Event in July.

Two new goats sitting on hay in a pen.
Kaleidoscope with flowers at the Cosley Zoo

Contact: Margie Wilhelmi
Director of Marketing, Wheaton Park District
630.510.4984 | [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WHEATON – Cosley Zoo has lots to celebrate!  The team recently welcomed the arrival of mini-Nubian Goats. Marvel, the brown one, is sweet and loves scratches. Flurry, the black goat, is a tough gal and can occasionally be seen sparring with the bigger goats.

Earlier in May, Mindy, the kaleidoscope was added to the Zoo garden, thanks to a gift from Combs Family Giving. This giant kaleidoscope turns the natural world into shifting, mesmerizing art. This interactive, living sculpture invites curiosity, creativity, and hands-on discovery, encouraging everyone, from children to adults, to slow down, engage with nature, and experience its beauty in a whole new way.

Cosley Zoo has planted three large pollinator gardens, along with more than 20 decorative pots throughout the grounds, featuring a beautiful array of flowering plants. Together, these vibrant spaces provide essential habitats for bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators while creating colorful, immersive experiences for guests to enjoy and learn from nature.

Pollinator gardens are specially designed spaces filled with flowering plants that provide food, shelter, and habitat for important pollinators. These gardens support biodiversity, strengthen ecosystems, and help plants reproduce by encouraging the movement of pollen from flower to flower. Beyond their ecological importance, pollinator gardens also create beautiful natural spaces that inspire people to connect with and appreciate the natural world. This garden was made possible by the Christensen Family Fund at Chicago Community Trust.

“These gardens are important to the Zoo property because they create healthy habitats for wildlife, support biodiversity, beautify the grounds, and give guests a chance to experience and learn about the important connection between animals, plants, and people,” said Greg Bockheim, Cosley Zoo Director.

Boots & Bandana’s is a new event at Cosley Zoo. This Country Western night takes place on Thursday, July 16 for those 21 and over and will include country music, line dancing lessons, food, drink, raffles and a caricature artist. Tickets are $40 each and can be purchased at cosleyzoo.org.

We hope you will join us for an event or visit the new animals and gardens soon at Cosley Zoo.

For up to date information about Cosley Zoo:

Website: https://cosleyzoo.org
Facebook: https://facebook.com/cosleyzoo.org
Instagram: https://instagram.com/cosleyzoo.org