January 2009-This C-shaped house is for the troop of mandrills at the zoo. The zoo allows the 4 mandrills (1.3) to go between both exhibits in the round house.
From Wikipedia: While mandrills are mostly terrestrial, they are more arboreal than baboons, and feed as high as the canopy.
I'd also be shocked if LA and San Diego have roughly the same amount of ground space.
Even if that was the case and the mandrills didn't use the air space much (I've seen them in the trees a decent amount), I think you have to admit that having a high ceiling and a wider space is better. The C exhibit is also not one continual exhibit space like at SD and I'm not sure if they always have access to the entire thing.
mweb: San Diego has a mandrill exhibit that is taller than this and maybe a bit larger, but otherwise seems comparable. Is there a great mandrilll exhibit that you have seen anywhere that you would consider a model exhibit?
Congo Gorilla Forest offers significantly more floor area and canopy height than any other mandrill exhibit I am aware of. Of course the mandrills have to share their space with De Brazza Monkeys and Red River Hogs. Atlanta's drill exhibit is also exemplary, as is Disney's moated exhibit (although actually seeing mandrills there is a challenge).
Congo Gorilla Forest offers significantly more floor area and canopy height than any other mandrill exhibit I am aware of. Of course the mandrills have to share their space with De Brazza Monkeys and Red River Hogs. Atlanta's drill exhibit is also exemplary, as is Disney's moated exhibit (although actually seeing mandrills there is a challenge).
I haven't seen many Mandrill enclosures, but although the DAK Mandrill exhibit is great, I would rate it lower than these other zoos you mention because of the short amount of time to view the Mandrills.
