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Two green-winged macaws sit on the outstretched arm of a Shedd animal care team member with rocks and trees in the background in the Abbott Oceanarium.

Public Engagement Animals

What do vibrant macaws, slithering snakes, an armored armadillo and a slow-moving sloth all have in common? They are ambassadors for their species, helping millions of people at the aquarium, in classrooms and in the community come closer to the wonder of wildlife and the importance of protecting it.

What is the Public Engagement Animal Program?

Every encounter with an animal at Shedd – like meeting Alface the sloth, Roy the rainbow boa or Binx the crow – can inspire care and action for our shared blue planet.

Through surprise-and-delight appearances or live chats at Shedd, educational programs in schools or neighborhood events, Shedd animal care team members accompany these special animals who live behind the scenes to make face-to-face connections with people of all ages.

Guests are invited up close to observe tortoises, lizards, snakes and more all while learning about the species and the challenges their wild counterparts face across the world. These awe-inspiring connections are key to Shedd’s mission, helping to spark compassion and curiosity for aquatic animals that can lead to action for the environments that we all depend on.

An animal engagement ambassador on staff at Shedd Aquarium holds a snake while speaking to two captivated visitors as part of a member activity to deepen understanding of the animals in Shedd’s care.

Care and Training Behind the Scenes

From owls and hawks to frogs and skinks, there are about 40 public engagement animals at Shedd who, along with their caretakers, connect with guests. But what you often don’t see is the daily world-class care and animal husbandry work by Shedd’s animal care teams to ensure every individual is healthy and comfortable with caretakers and people in a variety of settings.

This thoughtful preparation makes every public moment possible – each calm step, gentle touch and confident appearance is the result of hours of trust-building between animals and their caretakers. Sometimes, even the smallest of animals can make the biggest impact. Edna, the rescued ornate box turtle, is a crowd favorite among children and their families at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. During Shedd’s annual visits, Edna’s calm demeanor and small size makes her approachable for tiny hands and hearts.

A Shedd Aquarium educator holds a green tree python wrapped around a branch while engaging a group of curious children. The children are excitedly pointing at the snake as the educator explains the snake's forked tongue with a hand gesture while the crowd mimics it, creating a moment of hands-on learning in a tented educational setting

Meet the Public Engagement Animals

Here are just a few of the public engagement animals that you might meet on your next visit to Shedd, at afterhours events or field trips. We are thrilled to help you and your family connect with nature in new ways!

Rough – Six-banded armadillo

Indy – Eastern indigo snake

Binx – American crow

Acuri – Hyacinth macaw

Big Red – Red-footed tortoise

Logan – Great horned owl

Poblano & Serrano – Green-winged macaw

Alface – Linné’s two-toed sloth

Beni - Spectacled Owl