People have had a natural affinity for certain animal species dating to the cave paintings and petroglyphs of early human cultures.

No North American animals are more iconic than polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, bald eagles, bison and ravens.

Two young guests get close-up views of Hudson, a 3-year-old polar bear, in the underwater viewing area at Brookfield Zoo's new Great Bear Wilderness exhibit.

Attraction to these charismatic species is far more than folkloric in nature, as they represent the "spirit animals" of many Native American groups and were prominent icons of First Nations peoples throughout North America.

These intriguing species and their conservation stories will be featured in Great Bear Wilderness, presented by Dominick's. The 7.5-acre exhibit will open at Brookfield Zoo on May 8.

During the past 150 years, Mexican gray wolves were hunted to extinction in the wild, grizzly bear and bison populations were eliminated over 98 percent of their range in the lower 48 states, and bald eagles were placed on the endangered species list.

The fate of polar bears is closely linked to climate change, and they now are considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and threatened on the endangered species list.

Collaborative conservation efforts have helped to recover these species and their habitats.

Bison are now the focus of restoration of the Great Plains ecoregion, grizzly bears are making a comeback in the northern Rocky Mountains, and Mexican gray wolves are being reintroduced to the southwest United States and Mexico.

Also, bald eagles have recovered dramatically during the past 30 years and are now off the endangered species list.

"The state-of-the-art, naturalistic Great Bear Wilderness is the culmination of our efforts to provide the very best in animal welfare, education and guest experience," said Stuart Strahl, chief executive officer and president of the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages the zoo.

"The conservation message is that through timely action people can restore nature and even bring species back from the brink of extinction.

"We hope Great Bear Wilderness and its inhabitants will inspire people to take action by making changes in their everyday life to help ensure that these creatures and their natural habitats will flourish for future generations."

As guests begin their adventure through the national park-like experience and what is billed as the largest exhibit ever undertaken at Brookfield Zoo, they will learn about the animals' past, present, and future.

Visitors also will learn about the animals' deep cultural significance to people and the survival challenges they face.

Approximately 31,500 new plantings - including trees, shrubs, prairie grasses and groundcover - were used to replicate the exhibit's prairie, temperate forest and tundra landscapes.

Bison

The first animal zoogoers encounter will be bison exhibited in a vast prairie setting.

A pathway leads to a tunnel, with one wall featuring colorful interpretive graphics illustrating the history of bison on the Great Plains, bison conservation efforts and the relationship between this species and Native Americans.

On the opposite wall is a 60-foot-long hand-painted mural of a bison herd, and guests will hear the sound of a bison stampede that will add to the ambience.

Multiple viewing areas will offer unique perspectives on bison, which are one of the first North American conservation success stories and the symbol of the Chicago Zoological Society for that very reason.

Birds

Moving along the pathway, guests will encounter the United States' national symbol - bald eagles - which will share exhibit space with a raven, a cultural symbol of a divine creator to some and a cunning trickster to others.

The 1,200-square-foot, 24-foot-high meshed aviary will offer a virtually invisible barrier between guests and the birds.

Wolves

Regenstein Wolf Woods, the pre-existing 2.1-acre Mexican gray wolf exhibit, follows the birds' outdoor aviary.

Zoogoers will continue to have unforgettable viewing opportunities of the wolves from outdoors or inside the viewing building through a 40-foot-long-by-8-foot-high one-way window.

The exhibit features hands-on experiences that foster a better understanding of wolves, their behaviors and why an ecosystem is much healthier with the animals.

Bears

Continuing along the paved trail, forest and tundra landscapes come into view, and guests will come upon three separate habitats for polar bears and grizzly bears.

The areas are each approximately 9,000 square feet, making them three times the space of the zoo's former bear grottos.

Animal keepers can rotate the two bear species among the habitats, providing the animals with a variety of environments to explore on different days.

Each space has its own pool containing between 78,000 and 80,000 gallons of water.

Guests will be able to see into two of the pools through huge acrylic windows in an underwater viewing area (available to rent for private evening functions).

The third habitat has a 15-foot waterfall that spills into three connected pools.

Additionally, the bears' habitats contain vegetation and fallen trees, natural substrate and topography, a sand dig area, and hidden pockets built into the rockwork in which keepers can put food items to encourage the bears to forage.

All are equipped with wireless public address systems for zoo chats as well as multiple cameras to enhance observation of the animals.

Two of the bear exhibits contain large windows that allow keepers to present informal bear training sessions that demonstrate how the animals help in their own health care.

After passing the first bear habitat, the pathway leads zoogoers to the 3,600-square-foot underwater viewing area, where they will be immersed in an arctic setting with views of the pools on opposite sides and a portion of the floor painted to resemble crystal blue water with ice floes.

Calls to action

In addition, a monitor will feature video about efforts by CZS' conservation colleagues - Polar Bears International, the Vital Ground Foundation and Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative - to protect the bears and their habitats.

Just before exiting the underwater area, zoogoers may see a bear sleeping in the underground den.

Throughout the bears' section of Great Bear Wilderness will be graphics illustrating the importance of having healthy grizzly bear and polar bear populations in the wild, how climate change is affecting polar bears, actions people can take to help save the bears, and CZS' role in advancing polar bear care and husbandry.

Guests will also notice "You Can Help" messages that communicate a call to action.

"We want people to understand that success is possible in conservation and that each of us can make a difference for wildlife through daily actions," Strahl said.

"For instance, simple everyday tasks such as buying green, turning off lights, reducing your carbon footprint and recycling can help in the effort to save these charismatic species and their habitats.

"In Great Bear Wilderness, we want our guests to go away inspired and knowing they play a role in conserving the Earth and all of its creatures."