The wooden boardwalk through JungleWorld is one of the best features of the building, as this photo shows a leafy canopy over the heads of visitors. Some of the enclosures are a little small, but the environment is superb.
Jungle world could be a nice bird or reptile house, but not for bigger mamals like all primates, the tapir or the leopards. And this house is just one of the really bad things at the famous Bronx-Zoo.
Why is it acceptable to keep small mammals and birds indoor year-round but not large mammals? Where does the line get drawn? What constitutes a large mammal. If being outdoors in a particular place does not meet the lighting and or temperature requirements of an animal, is it really better than being indoors where those needs are more closely met? We could probably go back and forth all day on whether it is acceptable to keep animals indoor year-round, but I think that argument has played out many times on this site, and I don't think anyone is capable of bringing forth convincing enough evidence either way to sway the other side.
Animals from tropical rainforests don't know fresh air like New York would get. I really see no problem in keeping animals from a hot, humid environment in a hot, humid indoor building if it can replicate an animals preferred temperature etc. I think the actual exhibit is more important and if enough space and enrichment is provided then the animals might actually like it better. But I do have a question about this exhibit: Does it get natural sunlight?
