Santa Ana Zoo is famous partly for being "the zoo with 50 monkeys" as the individual who donated the land for the zoo originally stipulated that the zoo must maintain a minimum of 50 monkeys at all times. However, the vast majority of the 20 different primate species on display are found in enclosures like the one in this photo. Cleveland is a great example of another zoo that has a vast primate collection in outdated exhibits, but what American zoos are truly the best for primates in terms of collection and exhibitry?
San Diego Zoo has a trio of excellent great ape exhibits featuring 4 species (gorilla, bonobo, orangutan and siamang) and there are a number of stellar large mesh habitats in Lost Forest, which is part of the old Monkey Trails and Forest Tales zone. Also, the lion-tailed macaque and silvered-leaf langur exhibits are both impressive in Sun Bear Forest, and Ituri Forest has a terrific mixed-species enclosure as well. The Wolf's guenon/pygmy hippo exhibit is borderline brilliant and for many folks San Diego is the #1 zoo for primates in North America.
I think that a zoo that might well be the equal of San Diego is Denver. Primate Panorama is 7-acres in size and it contains an incredible 30 primate species! The orangutans have a decent exhibit, the gorillas have a one-acre enclosure, and there is a wide variety of exhibit design in this part of the zoo. There are indoor and outdoor glass-fronted exhibits; grassy islands; massive mesh habitats with lots of climbing opportunities; and even a walk-through bird aviary and an African Village. With capuchins on Monkey Island, howler monkeys in Tropical Discovery, and the 10-acre Asian Tropics (opening in 2012) due to have gibbons swinging over the heads of visitors the argument could be made for Denver as the #1 zoo for primates in North America. One edge that San Diego has, as it does over most zoos of the world, is that the climate allows the primates comfortable outdoor conditions all year long.
