Lincoln Park Zoo cutting programs and staff

Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo is cutting cut more than $1 million from its $21 million annual budget, which means cuts in programs and elimination of staff positions.

Zoo officials say that's because of a $7.6 million loss in the zoo's endowment fund,

Zoo president Kevin Bell made the announcement in a staff memo released Wednesday. Bell said he was making a 10 percent cut in his own $352,500 annual salary.

Lincoln Park's reductions are similar to setbacks at Chicago's Field Museum and the Brookfield Zoo, which announced cutbacks last month.

A zoo spokeswoman says administrators will meet over the next few weeks to look at all costs across the board.

The zoo's endowment fund had peaked at $34 million before last year's stock market plunge.