Exclusive: Brookfield Zoo prepares gorillas for new $66M habitat
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Brookfield Zoo has relocated its gorillas to prepare them for their new $66 million habitat opening this summer.
The big picture: At nearly three acres, the forthcoming James and Elizabeth Bramsen Tropical Forests will be one of the largest homes for primates among U.S. zoos.
- It's part of the zoo's Next Century Plan.
The latest: While the zoo finishes the new tropical forests, the gorillas, including six critically endangered western lowland gorillas, have been moved into a new indoor habitat.
Zoom in: The indoor facility is meant to prepare the gorillas for their future home by giving them access to new structures and face-to-face interactions with the animal care teams.
Zoom out: The Bramsen Tropical Forests will have four expansive outdoor habitats for western lowland gorillas, Bornean orangutans and several species of monkeys, and two indoor facilities, one of which the public can view.
- The current troop includes the leader, Jontu (28), a silverback, adult male gorilla; Binti Jua (37, female) and four gorillas born at Brookfield Zoo Chicago: Koola (30, female), Kamba (20, female), Nora (11, female) and Ali (6, female).
- A group of "bachelor" gorillas, which typically includes two to four male gorillas, will join the troop when the Bramsen Tropical Forests opens.
What's next: The Zoo will announce the official opening date later this spring as construction progresses, a spokesperson tells Axios.