The key is to build gorilla exhibits around mature canopy trees--and this is more often than not nearly impossible. Bronx was able to do it because it is situated in an old-growth forest--and Disney had the money to actually move huge live oak trees into their exhibits. Of course building moats and walls around living trees is very tricky, so it is the rare zoo that has the right combination of pre-existing tree cover, space and expertise to "do it right."
The key is to build gorilla exhibits around mature canopy trees--and this is more often than not nearly impossible. Of course building moats and walls around living trees is very tricky, so it is the rare zoo that has the right combination of pre-existing tree cover, space and expertise to "do it right."
Exactly, that is what I was hinting at but you have put it into words.
So I have some sympathy with other zoos that can't do this- particularly the urban zoos(such as ZSL, Frankfurt, Basel etc) which don't have any 'old growth' forest as they had in rural places like Apenheul or Vallee de Singes. So despite being big mainstream zoos- often of a high calibre generally, they are disadvantaged in that respect from the start. And that's why I think Frankfurt's is a good effort.
