IL

Finally, I've found an endangered animal recently born at a US zoo! This baby girl entered the world on Oct. 6 at Illinois's Brookfield Zoo to proud mama, Sophia, a 27-year-old Bornean Orangutan seen here cuddling the lil one.

Orangutans are the only great apes from Asia Along with these animals native to Borneo, there's a closely related species from the nearby island of Sumatra. Their diet is made up of 60 percent fruit and other plant parts. In fact, I think I see mama munching on a flower – decide for yourself in the pictures below.

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Holy moly — this chick is a cutie! The still unnamed Humboldt penguin was born to Brookfield Zoo residents Allegro and Batata but, for some reason, was too busy being adorable to eat. Because the baby wasn't growing properly, zoo officials removed her (him?) from "The Living Coast" exhibit to hand feed the bird a weight-gain regimen of fish shakes six times a day!

Yes, that's a real live stuffed penguin to make sure the lil one doesn't become too attached to the humans. If you think that's cute, watch the baby kissing the standing stuffy in another video when you read more

"What is the nature of the universe?" is simply one of the questions being explored at Fermilab. The (nearly 7,000-acre) grounds of this high energy particle physics lab include wetlands, woodlands, and the prairie seen above. Springtime brings baby bison (awwwww) and Winter, gaggles of geese — feel free to bring your pups to play on a one-acre, off-leash area complete with pond, so get those swimming lessons done early. Located in Batavia, about 45 miles west of Chicago, Fermilab includes all the Midwest ecosystems and that bison herd to symbolize its connection to the prairie and its position on the frontier of scientific discovery. The center is also a member of Chicago Wilderness, an organization dedicated to protecting and restoring natural communities of the Chicago region.

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As part of the super-swank Pooch Chicago, the Spaw is a luxe doggie delight! Their treatments include massages with warming aromatherapeutic oils (including clove bud and cinnamon leaf to relieve swollen joints and increase blood flow). Follow it up with a relaxing dip to wash the oils off in a milk-bone bath, a pampering pawdicure, and the poochberry facial with a head massage and special facial treatment. Along with daycare and a hotel, they've got a health club with a poochie treadmill and even offer swimming lessons for your dog in the only indoor canine pool in Chicago – perfect for prepping your pet for Montrose Beach by summer!

The Chicago-based Urban Hund was founded in 2003 as a pet accessory design and wholesale distribution company, aiming to provide quality products with an urban style and sensibility. They've come quite far, now being stocked in stores and online boutiques nationwide — find the gear at many local shops (including my fave Barker & Meowsky) or with a searchable map for everyone not in the Chi-town area.

In addition to sleek, leather collars, the company makes unique, water-friendly webbing collars as well. Even though those matching sets are pretty sweet, I think their standout fashion sense is best illustrated with their apparel. Perfect for icy temps, they offer pup hoodies and fleece-lined urban wraps to make both of you look stylish on your wintertime walk. And, even though it may not be appropriate for much of the country right now, I couldn't resist including their tees — these carefully created items make me excited for Spring already!

My Chicagoan friends tell me that this dog walking and cat care company is the city's best! With loyal and dedicated clientele and personnel, local doggies and kitties get to walk and play with animal lovers while their animal-loving people are busy. Chicago Urban Tails has two lengths of visits and walks (25 or 50 minutes), and even offers a tracking system to monitor exact times of exit and entry at your request. They only service one household at a time so your pets never have to worry about sharing affections, and they leave detailed notes afterwards of their stay with you.

However, my favorite perk is their Personal Concierge ($15 for 30 minutes). Unfortunately, pets in town are not allowed on mass transit so getting your big pals around can be difficult at best – with this service, they'll help you pick up dog supplies, drop samples at your vet, and even help pick up dry cleaning or wait for special deliveries, too.

Click here to share your own tips with PetSugar's Out and About travel group – and stay tuned as our week of Illinois continues!

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Welcome back to PetSugar's Out and About feature! After two weeks of holidays, we're starting up again in the midwest with the state of Illinois. Even though it's pretty chilly in Chicago at this time of year, pet owners still make the dog-friendly areas of the Chicago Park District full of life. With twelve official spots listed on their website, doggies need a permit and tag to play at all parks including hardtop hit, Wiggly Field, and warm-weather standout, Montrose Beach. The rules require all shots and vet visits be up to date, and a purchased seasonal tag ($5) that's valid from 1/1 to 12/31 with no sliding scale offered. While it's great that the city wants to keep pets safe, visitors must plan ahead to get this documentation for their pals to avoid a $500 fine!

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