Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Unveils Primate Forest After Two-Year Renovation

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo opened its new Primate Forest to the public on Thursday afternoon, finishing a two-year renovation of the building that previously housed the Rainforest exhibit.

Visitors lined up to be among the first inside, and many held up their phones to record the moment. Once through the doors, guests encounter projection-mapping technology that turns the space into a forest ecosystem, with a range of sights and sounds.

More than 60 animal species live in the exhibit. The lineup mixes new arrivals with familiar residents, including langurs, otters, cats and birds. Their habitats have been enhanced to encourage natural behaviors.

The orangutans are the centerpiece. For the first time, they can go outdoors, and on opening day they spent time in the sunshine and at play, with the baby drawing particular attention from onlookers.

The orangutans also have a new two-story dayroom linking their indoor and outdoor habitats. The space lets guests get a closer look at some of the training and care that usually happens behind the scenes. The exhibit also includes a theater, hands-on learning areas and a play area for children.

Andrew Davis, who visits the zoo regularly, said the wait was worth it. "I think what they're doing is great," Davis said. "It's for the care of the animals — it's for their longevity, and it's more space for them — versus where they were."

Dayna Polk Vachek, who traveled from Akron with her husband, Jake, said the orangutans seemed as taken with visitors as visitors were with them. She pointed to the conservation stakes, noting that humans share 96.4% of their DNA with orangutans and that the animals are critically endangered. "So what Cleveland Zoo is doing not only with the new habitat, but with conservation as a whole for the primates, it's exciting," she said.

Jake said he and his wife had watched the construction for the past couple of years, so seeing the finished exhibit was "really cool."

The opening completes the first phase of the Primate Forest, a $70 million investment. A second phase, which will add gorillas, is planned and would bring the project's total cost to about $120 million. More information is available on the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's website.