Head to Brookfield Zoo to relive the past when mighty ice giants walked the earth

Take the kids to Brookfield Zoo this spring break to see the ancient Ice Age giants, and learn how climate change and other factors led to their extinction.

The smilodon, a saber-toothed cat.Cathy Bazzoni courtesy of CZS-Brookfield Zoo

(CHICAGO) If you're looking for ideas to take the kids during spring break this year, you may want to check out the zoo's Ice Age Giant Exhibit, which opens next Friday, April 1.

A 20-minute drive from the heart of Chicago will bring you to the suburb of Brookfield, home of the world-renowned Brookfield Zoo, situated in a 216-acre park with over 2,000 animals.

Starting next Friday, April 1, and running through October 30, the Ice Age Giants temporary exhibit opens at the zoo. The exhibit features more than 30 animatronics of ancients beasts that used to roam the earth.

The Quaternary Ice Age began 2.6 million years ago and gave rise to massive animals. Thousands of years ago, these animals started dying off and are now extinct.

What animals can you expect to see?

The 30 animatronics will be located throughout the zoo. Parts of the animals, such as their head, eyes, tail, and mouth, will move to bring you the illusion of a living animal.

Some of the animals you can expect to see around the zoo include the following:

• Smilodon: a saber-toothed cat with 11-inch incisors and a mouth that could open up to 180 degrees.
• Mastodon: these giant creatures could weigh up to 17,000 pounds. These massive creatures most likely went extinct due to warming temperatures and the loss of their food supply.
• Castoroides: imagine a 300-pound, 7-1/2 foot long beaver.
• Teratornis: giant raptor-like birds with wingspans that could be up to 12 1/2 feet wide.
• Wonambi: a giant constrictor that measured between 16 and 20 feet long. (Now you know where the slide at Raging Waves Waterpark in Yorkville gets its name.)
• Macrauchenia: similar to modern tapirs, rhinos, and horses, these animals were driven to extinction when animals from North America migrated south and competed with them for their food supply.

The massive mastodon.Cathy Bazzoni courtesy of CZS-Brookfield Zoo

The castoroidesCathy Bazzoni courtesy of CZS-Brookfield Zoo

The teratornis.Cathy Bazzon courtesy of CZS-Brookfield Zoo

The wonambiCathy Bazzoni courtesy of CZS-Brookfield Zoo

The macrauchenia.Cathy Bazzoni couresy of CZS-Brookfield Zoo

Why did these giants go extinct?

According to the zoo's press release, "guests can learn about the theories as to why these behemoths went extinct, including overkilling, climate change, and disease. Even today, the same threats are impacting the survival of many animals like polar bears, Mexican wolves, North American river otters, and frogs, which can all be seen at Brookfield Zoo."

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