In my opinion this is one of the all-time great zoo exhibits, as there are enormous viewing windows that allow for close-up images of chimpanzees that more than make up for the huge tract of forest that seems to swallow the troop. The air-conditioned viewing area is offset in summer by the sweltering landscape and thick forest that for most visitors appears to mimic central Africa.
The chimpanzee exhibit is massive on such a scale that it is literally impossible to see the back of the enclosure. There is a “chimp classroom” with high viewing windows that look out onto an enormous landscape that on my visit revealed nothing but lush scenery. Outside there is a winding trail that runs alongside the mammoth enclosure, which has a clear-cut area that runs the length of the exhibit. Farther back there is a thick, atmospheric jungle that is wildly overgrown and the chimpanzee troop (around 15) have full access to the entire area. For 10 minutes I waited patiently as I strolled all along the area taking numerous photos, and nothing happened whatsoever.
Then a thrilling occurrence made me fall in love with the exhibit, as one-by-one a troop of about 8 chimps came out from the dense foliage in single file. From photos no one would ever know that the shots were not taken from the wild other than the lack of true African foliage, and for the next 30 minutes my wife, daughter and I sat and watched at least 12 of the zoo’s 15 or so chimps rummage through the grass, violently attack each other with long sticks (somewhat scary to see the rippling muscles) and gaze at a 2 year-old baby who was the highlight of the day. The enclosure is something that is lush, green, and freakishly large and set in a deep jungle….and if a visitor is patient and willing to wait then an amazing moment can occur as the animals can get within inches of humans. Analyzing only single-species exhibits (not massive complexes) the 3-acre chimp exhibit is just about on par with the gorilla habitats at the Bronx Zoo. Simply and utterly brilliant, and worth the price of admission if one were to leave right then and there.
