Page 69 - Annual Report 2022

GREAT APES

Beginning in March 2023, construction began on Tropical Forests, the
expansion of our current Tropic World habitat and the addition of outdoor
habitats and a new conservation center for our gorillas, orangutans,
and monkeys. The Chicago Zoological Society (CZS) anticipates project
completion in 2025.
Tropic World will remain open to guests during construction; they
will still be able to visit Brookfield Zoo’s famous western lowland gorillas,
Bornean orangutans, spider and colobus monkeys, sloths, otters, and
other species. Jontu, a 26-year-old adult silverback male who arrived in
February from Saint Louis Zoo, has taken his place as the gorilla family’s
leader and he will be there as well.
Preparation of the site has included the erection of fencing, soil
sampling, and soil moving. The bulk of construction will begin in June.
Nearly 75 new trees, 500 new shrubs, and four new pollinator gardens
will be planted in the approximately 2-acre site, which is located west of
Roosevelt Fountain. The gardens will provide an improved habitat for local
wildlife and pollinators. Many of the few dozen trees that needed to be
removed are being repurposed and used in other areas throughout the
Zoo for animal enrichment and new structures in habitats.
Tropical Forests is the first of many exciting changes that are coming
to Brookfield Zoo as described in CZS’s new Master Plan, which will be
unveiled later this year. We hope to see you at the celebration!

2022 ANNUAL REPORT 67