Lincoln Park Zoo welcomes Dolly and Dean, new swans named for Dolly Parton & Carl Dean

Two new residents are drawing visitors to the Lincoln Park Zoo, where a male and female trumpeter swan pair are now on view at the Hope B. McCormick Swan Pond.

According to the press release by the zoo, the birds, named Dolly and Dean, were selected by the Lincoln Park Zoo Women’s Board to mark its 50th anniversary. Their names honor the late Dolly Parton and her husband, Carl Dean, while also recognizing the board’s long-standing support for a free, family-focused zoo experience in Chicago.

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A new pair with a historic connection

Swans have been part of the zoo’s story since 1868, when two swan pairs arrived and helped mark the beginning of Chicago’s free zoo, the press release confirmed. The Women’s Board was founded in 1976 and has since helped raise more than $42 million for capital projects, animal habitats, science programs and education initiatives.

“Swans and the Women’s Board both play a huge part in the history of Lincoln Park Zoo, so it felt like an obvious choice to invite our current board members to name the newest swan pair,” said Sara Irmen, vice president of development, per the Lincoln Park Zoo announcement. “We’re excited to see Dolly and Dean out on their pond, greeting zoo guests just like the first swan pair did over a century and a half ago.”

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Trumpeter swans and conservation

Trumpeter swans are the world’s largest swan species, the zoo noted. They can grow up to 5 feet long and have wingspans reaching 6.6 feet. The birds spend much of their time grooming and waterproofing their white feathers with oil from a gland near the base of the tail.

Trumpeter swans typically mate for life and remain together throughout the year, including during migration. According to Lincoln Park Zoo, the species was hunted during the 20th century for its meat, skin, and feathers; by 1935, only 69 birds were believed to remain in the wild.

Conservation efforts have since helped the population recover, leaving the species at little risk of extinction. Lincoln Park Zoo has released more than 40 trumpeter swans into the wild through a reintroduction program intended to strengthen local populations.

Visitors can see Dolly and Dean at the Hope B. McCormick Swan Pond. More information about the zoo is available through the Lincoln Park Zoo.