Gorillas at the Houston Zoo

This highly-anticipated, state-of-the-art new habitat connects houstonians to the lush forests of africa in a full-sensory experience, and brings gorillas back to houston after an 11-year absence.

this awe-inspiring view of these animals in such an incredibly naturalistic habitat will instill an appreciation of these species unlike ever before. We hope you visit the gorillas at the Houston Zoo often to witness the beauty of this incredible species.

T he first stop on your journey through this extraordinary new exhibit is the Arrival Building. After walking through the beautiful maple doors, you will enter an intricately detailed room with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the gorilla meadow.

Here is your first chance to see a family of western lowland gorillas roam vast green fields or climb large fallen trees. This gorilla group consists of silverback Zuri (age 31),

Holli (25), their daughter Sufi (13) and Binti (40). As the gorillas explore their new home, you might also catch one of them snacking on a banana tree – yes the whole tree! Their habitat was landscaped with the apes’ favorite foods in mind.

There’s another animal just outside the Arrival Building windows as well. There is much talk about the gorillas here in Houston, but we must not forget their habitat neighbors, the red river hogs. Here is your best view of these fascinating creatures. Though gorillas and red river hogs share the same forest lands in Africa, this is truly a unique experience as you won’t see them together in a shared habitat in any other zoo. The three red river hogs making their home at the Houston Zoo may be seen rooting in the mud wallow or cavorting through the riverbed.

Upon exiting the Arrival Building, the Forest Trail engulfs you with bamboo, philodendron and large, beautiful oak trees. Dappled light through the trees and the sounds of Africa set the scene for the trail. Keep a lookout for gorillas as you walk through the treetops on this elevated boardwalk and arrive at The Gathering Tent, where you will hear plunging waterfalls running beneath you.

As your trek continues, pillars donned with African artwork guide you along the pathway to the Chevron Lookout. From here you may see gorillas exploring through 100-year-old oak trees and abundant greenery. At this point, you find the Gorilla Gathering Pool, a rocky landscaped pool that provides the apes a great place to cool off. This awe-inspiring view of these animals in such an incredibly naturalistic habitat will instill an appreciation of these species unlike ever before. From here, high in the trees, you can also see The Nau Family Gorilla Treehouse, a beautiful and unique new venue for private dinners and company meetings.

Up ahead, a 20-foot waterfall cascades down the mountainous terrain. Swirling mists and twisting vines surround you as you continue around the corner through a tunnel of the rocky cliffs. Here, another set of magnificent maple doors leads you into the final leg of your gorilla journey - The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation Great Ape Gallery, where a bachelor group of gorillas may be seen in their indoor facility. The Robert R. and Kay M. Onstead Foundation Day Room is equipped with platforms and oversized ropes for the gorillas to play, interact with one another, and get a great view of the visitor – you! The bachelor group of male gorillas staring back at you includes Chaka (age 30), Mike (23) and Ajari (14). You might spot the zookeepers engaging with these silverback gorillas in one of their daily training sessions.

As the Great Ape Gallery ends your journey to see gorillas and red river hogs, it begins your journey to see chimpanzees, white rhinos and giraffes.

The return of gorillas to the Houston Zoo was a years-long undertaking and involved countless hours of planning. We hope you visit the gorillas at the Houston Zoo often to witness the beauty of this incredible species, and that this experience inspires you to care about these and all animals in the wild.