A new state-of-the-art outdoor gorilla habitat will open this summer at the Franklin Park Zoo. The $8.1 million exhibit, funded by anonymous donors, will comprise more than 360,000 cubic feet of space, including a mix of real and fabricated trees, a waterfall, climbing vines and a multitude of built-in foraging opportunities.

Guests will be able to observe the natural behaviors and social dynamics of the gorilla family up close from corridors leading to an immersive central observational outpost within the exhibit.

The zoo is home to six gorillas, including Little Joe, Kitombe (Kit), his mate Kiki and their three offspring – Kambiri, Azize and Pablo, a male gorilla born in October 2020.

The new facility was designed by PJA with members of the Zoo team, while Roto is doing the interpretive graphic design with the Zoo’s Education team. The exhibit is being built this season by Columbia.