Sure it's not the most beautiful exhibit and its no Congo Gorilla Forest or Gorilla Tropics even, but it is a great exhibit for the gorillas, and offers terrific views for guests. I think it has one of the best indoor gorilla exhibits too.
So you are terribly terribly sad that you said I don't seem to like many exhibits? You are sending me boxes of fine chocolate as a peace offering? 'Cause I do accept chocolate.
This photo shows what is arguably the weakest of the 3 outdoor great ape exhibits, and the other two are glass-enclosed and open topped instead of mesh. However, I think that Lincoln Park's ape enclosures are still much more aesthetically pleasing than Howletts hay-and-metal cages, and yet they still provide lots of enrichment for the gorillas and chimps. Also, Lincoln Park has had around 50 gorilla births and is probably one of the zoo industry's leaders in that field.
Actually there are 3 exhibits, the largest of which is used only by gorillas and is open topped and surrounded by moats and walls. It is rarely used by gorillas as they are given the option to stay indoors and usually chose to do so.
The other 2 exhibits are fully mesh enclosed (one is pictured above), but also have glass-fronted viewing portals. One of these is exclusively used by chimps, the other is potentially rotational but usually houses gorillas.
The grassy floors complement the deep mulch substrate used in the interior exhibits. My only real objection is the patently fake "trees" and "rocks" that are awkwardly stuck into what are obviously cages. Why bother with the artifice? It only cheapens the total experience; certainly not to the level of the hideous Colchester zoo orang exhibit recently discussed at length here, but distractingly incongruous nevertheless.
I love it...I'm a bit of a architecture nut but the thing is old fashioned and classical archtecture goes way over my head. I love new and different things and if that can be combined with something that works well for the animals then I'm all for it. This, Healesvilles platypus exhibit, Copenhagens elephant house (the outdoor and bull yards leave a lot to be desired) and perth zoos orang-utan exhibit are how I would have my zoo...if I had one. Saying that I'm also a big fan of naturalistic enclosures and I all out hate pine, bricks and chain mesh.
