The chimps have free roam of the entire 3 acres, and it is a strong candidate for the single greatest zoo exhibit that I've ever seen. All of that forested area in the background is part of the massive enclosure.
Thank god the zoo has a large group in this enclosure I can't imagine the small group of Bonobos at the Jacksonville Zoo hiding in the forest in the background and the visitors always complaining not seeing the animals.
The problem with this great exhibit is that most of public doesn't appreciate it. Unless the group is in the front near the viewing building, most leave and don't wait for the chimps to come out of the forest in the back. Seeing the animals in all the growth in the back is really special, but it seems like most don't appreciate it.
As a side note, the alpha male Josh died a couple of weeks ago after the main group was introduced with the two other males. They haven't said for sure if he died as a result of the introduction, but it seems likely. Not sure which chimp is now the alpha male, but I think there are now three adult males, and nine adult females.
This magnificent 3-acre habitat is no longer home to Jimmie, who died in August 2008 after 40 years at the zoo. Josh was the alpha male in 2009, although with his death I'm not sure who took over in the past couple of years. Kansas City at one point had 16 chimps in this vast, beautiful, forested exhibit.
