I love this exhibit- it actually has enrichments and plants in it. I'm visiting the zoo in May and think it might surpass Bronx as my pick for best zoo in America with Columbus, North Carolina and San Diego close behind. I'm also visiting Omaha, Kansas City and Indianapolis as well as possibly Sedgwick, Fort Wayne and Louisville on that trip.
@GraysonDP You've got quite an excellent line-up of zoos on the horizon...great news! In regards to this exhibit, it is likely one of the very best orangutan enclosures in any American zoo as in truth the vast majority of exhibits for orangutans are extremely disappointing.
@snowleopard I completely agree. The best orangutan exhibit I've seen is at Cincinnati with probably San Diego or Atlanta second. Toledo, Memphis, Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Lowry Park are merely average while National, Miami (large enough but poorly designed), Philadelphia, Columbus (even though only 13 years old I cannot stand that brick wall in the background) and Cleveland are substandard and Brookfield, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Milwaukee are complete disasters.
Of all orangutan exhibits that I have seen, this one at St. Louis easily ranks #1 ahead of all the ones you've mentioned. In fact, the only downside I know of is from the visitor perspective, and its that the apes are not always plainly in sight because of the dense vegetation and slope! They do come up to the glass often though.
@GraysonDP They are not as notable or exemplary as I think this orangutan habitat is, but I think they are good. Both species have a decent amount of space, the chimpanzees have good climbing opportunities, and the exhibits are well-kept. They lack vegetation and cover compared to the orangutan exhibit; I imagine this may have to do with the destructive behavior of both species. They are also not as naturalistic as the orangutan exhibit, which I know is a big thing for you, although it doesn't bother me that much.
The indoor facilities for all of the species are fairly good as well, and the inside of the building is very nicely designed. I remember when Jungle of the Apes was the year-round home for chimps and orangutans, rather than just night and winter quarters. The outdoor exhibits are definitely an improvement from that era. In fact, I wonder if Saint Louis might have been the last US zoo keeping chimpanzees indoors permanently, as Fragile Forest only opened 10 years ago.
