Let's Go Ape! Congo Falls Opens at the San Antonio Zoo
By Nick Blevins
A bright, gorilla-themed sign welcomes visitors to the ape exhibit
Through an ephemeral mist that occasionally became a light drizzle, spirits remained buoyed as a massive throng of ape adorers, animal lovers, and curious onlookers alike gazed at one of the most spectacular new additions to the San Antonio Zoo in years. Humid, rainforest-like conditions proved a perfect accompaniment to the steady plume of mysterious fog emanating from the entrance. Myriad zoo staff and officials stood before the exhibit, beaming. Following an introduction from the zoo’s Vice President of Marketing, Hope Roth, CEO and President Tim Morrow spoke on the significance of the moment, when an excited voice rang out from the audience, shouting “open the doors!”
The swelling crowd, it was clear, was on the precipice of going absolutely bananas.
Congo Falls, a sophisticated, record-breaking gorilla habitat, celebrated its grand opening on Saturday, December 13. Spanning two acres and featuring the world’s tallest climbing tower, the zoo’s latest tenants can get an ape’s-eye view of their new digs whilst living out their wildest Kong dreams. Members of the city council were on site for the ribbon cutting ceremony, with District 2 council member Jalen McKee-Rodriguez — who was also celebrating his daughter’s first-ever visit to the zoo — speaking on behalf of Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones.
The new habitat is also promoting an electronics recycling program, meant to aid and bring awareness to the blight on gorillas’ natural habitat that is coltan mining: visitors to the San Antonio Zoo may bring old phones, gaming devices, or other small electronics to a drop-off station near Congo Falls. Congo Falls is now open. Check the zoo website for visiting hours, neat events, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and be sure to look around further to see other representatives from the vast and unique animal kingdom!
