If your family has missed seeing big cats at Lincoln Park Zoo, then you’ll be ready for their return this fall after a two-year hiatus.
Pepper Family Wildlife Center opens to the public on Oct. 14 with four lions, one male and three females, two red pandas, two Canada lynx and two snow leopards. Zoo attendees can explore the renovated savannah-style space, including a gift shop and gallery with public seating.
“All of the new residents of Pepper Family Wildlife Center have arrived safely and are settling in well,” says Maureen Leahy, vice president of animal care and horticulture, in a news release. “As a science-based institution committed to advancing animal welfare, this renovation focuses on animal choices. From thermal comfort zones to trees for climbing, and even special enrichment features, the new space provides so many choices for the lions.”
The center offers various immersive viewing opportunities for families both inside and outside. Follow along the Lion Loop, which leads guests to view the exhibit from the center of the habitat. Other features include a demonstration training wall where you can see Lincoln Park Zoo staff interact with the big cats.
Lincoln Park Zoo members will have a chance to get a preview of Pepper Family Wildlife Center 8-10 a.m., Oct. 1-2 and 4-6 p.m. Oct. 3. At the zoo, you can find the center near Park Place Café and AT&T Endangered Species Carousel.
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Details
Pepper Family Wildlife Center
Opens Oct. 14, 2021
- Address: Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St., Chicago
- Cost: Free
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