Next time you’re at Brookfield Zoo, head west, past the fountain, near Tropic World, and stop. A new primate habitat has officially opened to the public, it’s called the James & Elizabeth Bramsen Tropic Forests. It’s now one of the largest exhibits of its kind in the country, with three luxurious acres.
The space is immersive and open, with spider monkeys climbing through overhead tunnels and shaded corners where gorillas move just beyond a glass wall. It’s not your standard enclosure; it’s intimate enough that the best photo editor could probably make it look like Barney or Shango is just hanging out with you.
The new exhibit features Barney and Shango, the western lowland gorillas, as well as spider monkeys rescued from wildlife trafficking, Bornean orangutans, and gibbons.
(And to avoid confusion, gorillas are apes and do not have tails. That’s one way to tell them apart from monkeys.)
Barney and Shango are part of the zoo’s first bachelor gorilla group, and during speechs, they didn’t disappoint. The two entertained us all with what looked like playful brawling, and at one point, a gesture that could have passed for flipping the bird. Lively and unfiltered.
Brookfield Zoo President and CEO Dr. Michael Adkesson said the space was built around one question: what’s best for animals?
“Every space was custom-designed to encourage natural behaviors,” he said. That means vertical space to climb, hidden areas to rest, and enrichment features that mimic how animals feed, move, and interact.
The Gorilla Conservation Center inside offers guests the opportunity to observe social behaviors and gain an insider’s look at how researchers identify gorillas using their nose prints. One life-sized nose sculpture on display was made from a 3D scan of a real Brookfield gorilla.
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch called the project an example of “playing the infinite game” – not aiming to win, but working to leave something better behind.
Funded through a mix of public and private support, including a significant gift from the Bramsen family, funding from the American Rescue Plan via Cook County, and the zoo’s own “Grow the Forest” campaign.
Eileen Figel, interim superintendent of the Forest Preserves of Cook County, said the zoo’s role in connecting people to wildlife is critical. “Most human beings really connect to mammals,” she said. “You have to feel something before you protect it.”
Chances are you’ll leave knowing a little more about gorillas. You’ll definitely be looking up more, maybe to your sides, too.
