BY PARKS KUGLE
The conditions
The framework
Home to two troops, with seven western lowland gorillas in total, the exhibit includes three distinct habitats—the lowland basin, the gorilla gorge and the indoor rainforest. Unique features of the exhibit include the 30-foot-tall Will Smith Foundation Infinity Falls and the world’s largest gorilla tower, Mays Family Silverback Peak, which is 70 feet tall and offers the gorillas a panoramic view of the city. Lauren Inderbitzin, the director of animal well-being at the San Antonio Zoo, said the exhibit has multiple features. These include over 260 plants and trees planted throughout the three habitats, and built-in medical and enrichment spaces that allow the gorillas a truly interactive environment. “The 2-acre habitat is ginormous for a gorilla habitat,” Inderbitzin said. “And I think really the special attention to the details in it has been groundbreaking in the form of [a] gorilla habitat.”
Roth said the new exhibit is already paying dividends for San Antonio by drawing new visitors. “We couldn’t be happier with the success and the overwhelming feedback from the guests,” Roth said.
A closer look Congo Falls provides visitors with a unique educational experience and uses sophisticated enrichment and training programs that tap into gorillas' natural foraging habits.
35 years since the last gorilla exhibit at the San Antonio Zoo
E. HILDEBRAND AVE.
70-foot-tall gorilla tower
Congo Falls
30-foot waterfall
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San Antonio Zoo
2-acre immersive habitat
7 Western Lowland Gorillas
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SOURCE: SAN ANTONIO ZOO/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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