Three fuzzy lion cubs roll around in the grass. The brothers playfully paw at each other while their mother gnaws on a bone nearby. Meanwhile, their father keeps watch from atop a massive rock.
The area might be mistaken for the plains of Africa. But the lions actually live at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Illinois. On the other side of a nearby glass wall, giggling children wave at the cubs while their parents take photos.
The zoo opened its lion habitat, called the Pepper Family Wildlife Center, in 2021. In addition to green spaces to roam, the area provides shade, shelter, and privacy for the big cats. The center is also home to red pandas, snow leopards, and Canada lynx. Construction took about four years and cost $41 million.
For decades, zoo animals were often kept in small cages with concrete floors. But in recent years, many zoos have spent millions of dollars to build bigger enclosures that resemble the animals’ natural habitats.
Despite these changes, critics of zoos still say they’re unethical. They argue that there’s nothing natural about keeping wild animals locked up.