Just within Tropic World, a waterfall crashes and monkeys chatter. Come inside for an experience that will amaze and delight you. Tropic World, among the largest indoor animal exhibits in the world, brings you as close as possible to the life of primates.
First up is South America, where spider monkeys scramble high in the trees. A dark flash of mysterious callimicos peeking through the leaves. Overhead, a narrow vine swings under the weight of cotton-top tamarins exploring freely. Everywhere you look, primates are choosing where to climb, what to eat, and how to behave. Check out the primate next to you---that's right, humans are primates, too!
Asia is quieter---unless the morning calls of white-cheeked gibbons make the building echo with sound. They swing from tree branches 30 feet above the ground, moving 20 feet in a single swing! Below, the small-clawed otters slide through a river. The orangutans relax in nests or explore mounds of hay in their tree house.
Brookfield Zoo has eight Bornean orangutans---one of the country's largest populations of these highly endangered animals. The zoo is a leading expert in their care and has helped other zoos and even rehabilitation facilities in Indonesia provide for orangutan well-being.
Red-capped mangabey
Indah White-cheeked Gibbon
Finally…the scents and sounds of the forest in Africa. Primates from lanky mangabeys to long-furred colobuses to brightly colored mandrills will amaze you. The western lowland gorillas are a visitor favorite. When a male gorilla named Nadaya was born in 2001, he became the fourth generation in the gorilla troop, joining his mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother. After that, there was a baby boom in 2005 with the births of Koola and Bakari. Every zoo birth is important, as gorillas are endangered. For years, Brookfield Zoo’s researchers have been studying the gorillas’ social structure and breeding behaviors, as well as how to care for gorillas as they age.
Take a look in the mirror to see another primate...YOU! Did you see Tropic World’s primates acting like you or making choices like you? As you leave, stop by The Quest to Save the Earth. This outdoor exhibit experience offers group activities meant to inspire visitors (human primates) to make choices and take actions in their own lives that will help keep the Earth healthy for us all.