Lincoln Park's cats get den redone

After two years and almost $4 million, the Lincoln Park Zoo'srenovated Lion House will open to the public next Saturday.

Visitors will find breathtaking changes.

The 26 green-tiled and heavily barred cages, where generationsof cats paced relentlessly through the seasons, are gone - replacedby 10 stunning habitats.

Almost invisible piano wire mesh separates the big cats from thepublic in five inside and five outside areas along the south side ofthe building.

The mesh is so unobtrusive that the cats had to be acclimated toit last week when they were introduced to their new homes. Strips ofburlap were hung on it so they wouldn't try to jump right through,said Art Miraldi, new head keeper.

The animals, housed in the primate house or other zoos duringthe two-year construction, were timid about entering their newquarters. But Lisa, the black leopard, got used to it quickly.

She found her own path through stone outcroppings against asimulated Serengeti grassland background.

"She likes it already," said Miraldi. "She plays with the drygrass just like any cat."

Realistic details, such as plugs of real grass, vines hangingfrom Amazon rain forest trees and crevices in the pseudo-Himalayancliffs, are convincing.

"There are no more sterile cages with bars," Miraldi said.

Instead of a single bare shelf to rest on, the cats havenaturalistic ledges and boulders to climb or sprawl on.

Jaguars in the rain forest setting have a pool and waterfall -appropriate for cats who are great swimmers and even catch fish inthe wild, said Miraldi.

Each indoor exhibit includes painted skies that reflect, forexample, the hazy heat of an African afternoon on the savanna for theservals - tawny African cats with tufted ears. The high sky imitatesthe snow leopards' native Nepal, and there are rugged mountains forthe Afghan leopards.

"They're like dioramas in the Field Museum, except they haveliving animals in them," said Miraldi.

The outdoor exhibits for cheetahs, mountain lions and leopardsare tall, spacious and domed with wire mesh, giving the cats plentyof room to climb. Artificial rock ledges and living trees and bushesgive them hiding and sunning spots.