I think that Pittsburgh Zoo has dreadful exhibits for their gorillas, orangutans, all of their monkeys, several bear species and a few other animals. However, zoos like Buffalo, Erie, Franklin Park and Brookfield have gorillas in all-indoor areas with zero outdoor access. Erie has an elderly female with health problems but the other trio of zoos have troops in all-indoor areas for no justifiable reason other than it would be very expensive to construct large outdoor habitats.
Personally l think if a zoo has one bad exhibit like this. the zoo is suggesting to the public that it is okay to treat animals badly.
SL l have only seen Brookfeild from the zoos you mention and that is bad in so many ways other than being totally indoors that l wonder why people don't force the zoo to change??
The gorillas have a decent size outdoor yard too. I personally think in the years to come pittsburgh will be known for there good breeding with gorillas.
I have seen the outdoor area personally and it is also not idal for gorillas, large barren open space.
Unfortunately for animals people seem to constantly associate reproduction with success in exhibit design, enrichment and animal general well being, however animals in captivity have proven time and time again that these issues frequently have nothing to do with breeding success.
