Zoo Tours: The Best Exhibit in America? Congo Gorilla Forest at the Bronx Zoo

[@ZooTours]

*Speaking of museums…* remember to stay tuned for the next episode! *Question of the Episode* - objectively what is the best zoo exhibit you’ve ever seen?: I personally believe the Congo Gorilla Forest is the most valuable, and impactful exhibit in the nation. All around, from its immersion, creativity, education, and quality it’s nearly perfect. However, speaking objectively you could argue that a multi-acre zebra paddock is a better habitat from an animal husbandry standpoint. That being said, the most flawless, realistic and truly immersive zoo attraction I’ve ever experienced was Kilimanjaro Safaris… and I don’t think I need to elaborate any further. Here's a more in depth breakdown of the exhibit from the greatest website of all time: zoolex.org/gallery/show/154/ *The Bronx Zoo on Zoo Tours... so far:* - The Beginner's Guide to the Bronx Zoo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mojKg6ltd7qtkNU - JungleWorld: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z327d2Bpidipmbc - Wild Asia Monorail: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmjNgHSvq7d9eqs *Other African Forest related episodes:* - Congo Expedition at the Columbus Zoo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnynh6NurJ6qfpI - Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail at Disney's Animal Kingdom: kzbin.info/www/bejne/raXPpayqaaeip68 - Tropic World at the Brookfield Zoo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYS9ZqdvpZ5mosk - Wilds of Africa Part I at the Dallas Zoo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKmlZJebncqbe6s - International Chimpanzee Complex at the Indianapolis Zoo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqDUnZagf9iggc0

[@maximus0g933]

Islands at Chester Zoo for sure

[@theheroneededwillette6964]

Hey. So ever heard of the pairi daiza zoo? I’m not sure if you do anything outside of the us.

[@graffic13]

Best I've seen personally...Toldeo zoo's new museum remodel. It's amazing. But way way back in the day, I liked San Diego's kamodo dragon exhibit and the butterfly house.

[@familytraintime]

African Savannah At the Cleveland Metroparks zoo

[@ab-zr3uh]

Never skip a Zoo tours video

[@LeafProductions]

So happy you were able to make it out to the Bronx to begin with, and so happy to see my favorite section being covered by you Zach. Your style and design and quality are unparalleled. This section of the zoo is so important to me and brings me such joy whenever I visit. So many hidden gems and motifs in here as you walk through. My favorite sections I’ve seen this year would obviously cover Madagascar and Congo at the Bronx, but earlier this year I was in your neck of the woods and Columbus Zoo was a beauty to behold. Their African Savannah section, while barely any of the animals were out, was fantastic just to walk through. Also was captivated by their AsiaQuest section too. Some things to add onto your video as well with the Congo Gorilla Forest… Some of the statues that you’re supposed to see as you walk along the trail were either removed for repairs and never brought back, or actually frightened guests to the point where they had thought they were real (as you walk towards the fallen tree I believe, there should have been a Leopard up on the cliff). There are actually a lot more that you might have missed, including a bunch of beetles next to the Colobus Monkey habitat! Inside of the Treasures indoor area, if you look up at the ceiling, you’ll see all native plants that were brought back and preserved from the Congo Rainforest itself. This entire indoor section is packed with so much more detail, too. The butterfly fish exhibit in particular makes use of mirrors (a huge draw of the WCS Design, you can see it with JungleWorld’s entrance) to showcase what this species looks like from above as a way to camouflages itself from predators. There’s a brief period of time (like a month or so) either at the tail end of Summer or start of spring where the Congo exhibit opens (it is normally closed in the winter) where you can view the dayroom for the Gorillas. I’ve never seen it myself but it is sort of legend at this point. You nailed exactly where it was in the video though! Great coverage my man. So excited to see you cover the rest of the WCS exhibits and zoo’s. If you ever need any recommendations or tips on visiting NYC feel free to reach out, would love to help you get the best experiences possible for your next time here. 🫶💚🦍

[@naturelifeluca]

YO HI LEAF YOUR MY FAVROUTE KZbinR

[@Loris71734]

T most underrated part of the exhibit is the squishy path. Feels so nice for your feet after walking around the zoo all day

[@ArtistSince05]

Well done on the Congo Gorilla Forest exhibit at the Bronx Zoo, Zach! I’ve only visited the Congo Gorilla Forest only about two times, and my gosh, the exhibit holds up extensively very well to this day long after the last 25 years! (And to answer your question, my favorite Zoo exhibit of all time personally, has to be Jungleworld at the Bronx Zoo. Said this before, and I’ll say it again: The Bronx Zoo knows when to nail a rainforest exhibit very perfectly to the point where you’re in the dense jungles surrounded by exotic yet threatened wildlife.)

[@nickp2271]

I actually have so many fun memories of this exhibit. Like the time I showed several juvenile gorillas a Glove and Boots video. They wanted to watch it and they started fighting over who will get a front row seat.

[@neilchace1858]

Congo Gorilla Forest is easily my favorite zoo exhibit I've ever seen! Out of 39 zoos visited! I just wish that there was viewing into an indoor gorilla exhibit all year, think that would be a great improvement. Also- great job with this video. I wasn't sure it'd be possible to fully encompass the subtle details and overall awe-inspiring nature of this exhibit all in one video, but you managed to do it expertly. Keep it up!

[@Sonicfan323]

The rock python literally staring at the camera is gonna stay in my head while I sleep tonight.

[@PhillipNeumeier]

Great tour of Congo Forest, Zach! The best zoo exhibit I’ve seen? I think I’ve mentioned this before, but it would have to be Lion Camp at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

[@TheGamingTigerKing]

Another Great Episode to the Channel, although this is my now my favorite African Forest exhibit, my favorite personal exhibit is gonna be the Columbus Zoo’s Asia Quest, mainly because like Congo Gorilla Forest, Asia quest also brings multiple conservation messages and it blew my mind when I first saw it when it first opened back in 2006 and to this day, it will always be my favorite personal exhibit!

[@AnimalNerd_11]

I love watching your videos keep it up!

[@dylangeltzeiler946]

Once again, I visited the Bronx Zoo in October 2019 & experienced some of this. Especially the Congo Gorilla Forest.

[@Weeliam2000]

Just bought planet zoo on ps5 definitely gonna be useing your videos for inspiration

[@ckm5702]

Been waiting for this one for a good while

[@wyatt-andrews-workshop22]

My favorite exhibits I’ve ever visited are this, Lost Forest (SDZ), Africa Rocks (SDZ), Wild Americas (The Living Desert), The LAIR (LA Zoo), Jungle World (Bronx) and Elephant Odyssey (SDZ)

[@ryanosullivan7834]

Great tour!!!! I was actually just there today!!!!!

[@StarGiraffinum]

The Con-GOAT Gorilla Forest (btw I did go here all the way back in 2015. It was very very nice.)

[@briandrzewiecki5861]

The best zoo exhibit I've ever seen is the Gorilla exhibit at the San Diego Zoo. It's beautiful.

[@rbianca1]

The Bronx Zoo is the most exquisite zoo with the best, most detailed, evocative, realistic exhibits! Congo Gorilla Forest is outstanding!!!

[@alexallen9640]

Nice tour and information. I just went to the Bronx Zoo last month and I did visit the Congo Gorilla Forest and it was very impressive in design and theming. 🙂👍🦍

[@TheDumplingGecko]

I havent been to many zoo that i remember but my local Staten Island Zoo has a great reptile and jungle exhibit

[@ashazdaud7721]

The best zoo exhibit I have ever seen is the Fragile Forest biodome of Singapore zoo

[@iloveautumn9682]

Great Video! To answer the question, my favorite exhibit that i have personally experienced is probably the California Trail at the Oakland Zoo. It just feels so innovative and definitely brought the zoo up to a whole other level.

[@kylemccollum3996]

Great Video as always, Zach. If I had to say what is definitively the best zoo exhibit that I’ve seen would be the Giants of the Savanna at the Dallas Zoo. Keep up the amazing work.

[@Chuck02]

The best I have personally seen is the dome at the fort wayne children's zoo. With the humidity and the amount of foliage, it's one of if not the most natural exhibit indoors that I have seen. They also have mice in there, but am still curious if they are supposed to be there or not.

[@MarcoAnguloistheGOAT]

I was gonna say, the mice freaked out my grandma when we went so i couldn’t fully enjoy it, but overall the ft wayne children’s zoo was really good

[@Ywabag]

I saw mice in JungleWorld so I think mice just like indoor rainforests lol

[@MarcoAnguloistheGOAT]

@@Ywabag yea

[@ThePretender25]

Did you know that there's also a classroom above the area with the red river hogs, wolf monkeys and hornbills? I went to Bronx Zoo Camp when I was younger and what an amazing experience it was. The viewing panels from those exhibits continues on above to the classroom where you can see the animals up close. Even got to spend the night in what is now the Madagascar exhibit

[@jonathanslous9476]

For myself the best zoo exhibit I have ever seen was the African penguin exhibit at the San Diego zoo. I was so amazing seeing penguins interacting with leopards sharks and such a natural looking exhibit of rocks shrubs and kelp.

[@Ywabag]

The Bronx zoo has at least three of the greatest zoo exhibits ever built. Congo, Jungle World, and Madagascar.

[@thewilsonkids3984]

The Bronx zoo Congo gorilla forest is the best zoo exhibit i’ve seen it in in person

[@corvidpuke4248]

I would love to see the rest of the North Carolina zoo! My partner has been many times and says it’s huge!

[@wildandmagicalworldofflori8032]

Sorry for the late comment on this one, but I definitely agree on how this is one of the best exhibits in a zoo; Id dare even say that this could even give Disney's Gorilla Falls a run for it's money! I can't remember being so immersed in a place like this one. There were a few times I forgot that I was even in New York, it was that good And unlike Gorilla Falls, the Bronx takes inspiration from the actual Congo, and focuses on its wildlife; even the African Forest Elephants get some attention despite not being prsent at the zoo itself. I can go on and on about this amazing exhibit, but I think ive gone long enough as it is. Thanks for giving us one of the best tours yet!

[@Nissanghmohanbabu]

I think the best zoo exhibits are California Trail at Oakland Zoo, Walkabout Australia at the SDZ Safari Park, and the Wild Asia Monorail along with Tiger Mountain at the Bronx Zoo. I see that the California Academy of Sciences is coming up.

[@kevinpoe8137]

Have you done a video on the Jackson zoo yet

[@zoolover4669]

I would say best exhibit I have seen is the lost forest at San Diego zoo. I just remember going in there and actually getting lost and being so excited to see what was around each turn.

[@Animal_board_gamer]

Yeah I got to go the Congo gorilla forest in the Bronx about a year ago, made my own video too, and also videoed my walk through the tree tunnel. Unfortunately I didn’t see the guenon, wild river hogs, that hornbill, or the Pygmy marmoset. I also had to skip the reptiles, bugs and fish because we running out of time. We had to catch up to the family, me and my uncle went to the reptile house and the rest of the family headed straight for the Congo gorilla forest, it was going to be our last attraction for the day. So while I skipped some of the smaller animals, I didn’t get to see other animals I was looking for. I did see the colobus monkeys, i caught a glimpse of the okapi, saw a female mandrill, saw the Pygmy goose and the Congo peafowl but couldn’t find the signs that identified them, and it wasn’t until long after I put my video together on KZbin that I finally put what they are called in the comments section. And then I did get some video time of the gorillas, not as much as I’d like, but like I said as I caught up to my family they spent 30 minutes with the gorillas and so when I arrived I only had a few minutes to look at them and try and get some videos, plus with how crowded it was I was lucky I still got some screen time with the gorillas. 🦍 but still totally worth it because I did decide video 24 species in the reptile house, yes that’s not even half of them, but like I said my time was limited. Still we did go to jungle world, the zoo center where the rhinos 🦏 were because it was flooding outside from the rain ☔️, and we had a behind the scenes encounter with a few animals. Also visited the Madagascar building too! And that was everything we saw. We saw only the sea lions and nyala between the attractions. So yes we missed the world of birds both floors, the sea bird aviary and aquatic bird house, wild Asia monorail, mouse house and giraffe Carter building. But as you know it’s impossible to see everything in one day. And that’s all I had, and the rain definitely caused us to miss almost everything outside. Still it was wonderful being there, i hadn’t been there for 6 years prior to last time. If I lived in New Jersey I’d go to the Bronx zoo as many times as it took to see every single species in the year.

[@Steveofthejungle8]

I feel like the Lied Jungle in Omaha has to be the best exhibit I’ve ever seen

[@Wilcowarning]

Best exhibit I have seen in a zoo is Yukon Bay in Hannover Zoo, Germany. Maybe after Congo in Bronx ;)

[@Justin-n9i]

I went to this exhibit as a kid

[@lesliechu8879]

Bronx Zoo is the 3rd to be with Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium & the San Diego Zoo! Say, Zak, visit the Phoenix Zoo soon!! And here are 4 zoo trivia questions for you & your girlfriend.... 1) Which Sumatran Tiger at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park gave birth to 2 newborn cubs this year? 2) How many years ago did the San Francisco Zoo originally house elephants? 3) Do you wish for SeaWorld San Diego to house frogs in their Animal Connections attraction? 4) Which years did the Oakland Zoo once house squirrel monkeys? And the best Zoo exhibit that I visited & seen so far is the Elephant Odyssey at the San Diego Zoo!🐘

[@DereksZooVideos0118]

It's hard to pick a definitely best exhibit I've seen, but I want to shoutout Minnesota's Northern Trail as at least of objectively the best exhibits I've seen owing to huge amount of space and natural terrain offered to almost all of the animals.

[@christianbontempo8859]

The Bronx Zoo is the best zoos in New York

[@ArtistSince05]

Mhm, you got that right by a 100% ^^

[@ジャンボ-r7h]

When you come visit to Japan, please report about zoo in Japan. I would like to hear your view of which point is good and bad in Japanese zoo. 1. Zoorasia (Yokohama) Biggest zoo in Japan. Savannah area is my recommend. 2. Ueno zoo (Tokyo) First zoo in Japan, and maybe gorilla exhibit is referred from Bronx zoo. 3. Asahiyama zoo (Hokkaido) I would recommend visit in winter. They're the one who started enrichment for animals in Japan. 4. Higashiyama Zoo (Nagoya) Recently they're starting huge renewal. 5. Maruyama Zoo (Hokkaido ) Elephant exhibit is based on international standard and female calf was born last year.

[@chasechristophermurraydola9314]

I would say that the best zoo exhibit I have been to was the African rainforest section at the Oregon Zoo and the reason was back when I was little they had a species that I had never seen before and this species was a kind of duiker but I don’t know what species it was but it was cool to see it living alongside wading birds.

[@enriqueramirez0615]

Next time it's going to be the "Madagascar" exhibit also in the same zoo

[@joesfishroom4903]

The heart of Africa exhibit at the Columbus zoo in Ohio, is the best exhibit I have seen

[@otterlord5906]

Objectively, Congo Gorilla Forest is the best exhibit ever. This opened in 1999 and has gotten better with age. It successfully exhibits one of the hardest species to exhibit in captivity in a harsh temperate climate, immersing people in a tropical rainforest despite being in America's largest urban metropolis. The amount of design resources and collaboration it took to make this possible, you just don't see that anymore. It is a genre piece for landscape immersion.

[@mariedufore8795]

My little brother said that this is exhibit was hard to tell from what’s real and what’s not because of its immersive quality

[@fazolettofazolettini9624]

Bronx is clearly #1 in many minds as Congo Gorilla Forest is simply spectacular, but San Diego, Woodland Park, Houston Zoo and Zoo Atlanta would be contenders for any kind of "top 5 gorilla exhibits" list for North America. The two zoos with the most gorillas are Atlanta and Bronx (almost 20 each).

[@Zooman342]

The best zoo exhibit I have ever seen I probably Perth zoos gibbon island which is also connected to a Cassowary and Tree Kangaroo habitat the lake is currently under construction for Perth zoos 2040 Masterplan.

[@kapuzinergruft]

It was the very angolan colobus monkey which supposedly bit a Munich zoo veterinarian so badly that he had to be admitted into a hospital and stayed there more than a week. That was some decades ago. Me being a veterinarian myself had luckly enough never any of these bad incidents...😮

[@Reikkusu]

Best exhibit ive ever seen has to be the Tiger Trail at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park!

[@NathanSpies]

Kinda weird how this exhibit has elephant signage & displays but no elephants

[@gabrielcontreras1091]

the best zoo exhibit I've ever seen journey into africa at the San Diego zoo safari park, its multiple wildlife yards large enough to be their own zoo and still is able to give animals hiding places, literal ponds and lakes along with using the natural landscape to help with enrichment. its probably cheating but that's my answer

[@jamespayoute5336]

Going on the kilmnjaro safari

[@samuelb66]

Is this the best zoo exhibit in the US? Nah not really but I would probably put it in the top 10. There are so many great exhibits like Africa Rocks at SDZ, Pantanal at Houston, Water's Edge: Africa at Cheyenne Mtn, Sea Lion Shores at Omaha, Living Northwest Trail at Woodland Park, and Expedition Peru at Nashville. There are just so many good ones, it's almost impossible to say which one is objectively best. Each of them have fantastic things about them, but also some nitpicks here and there. It really just depends on what your criteria is. So to answer your question on if Congo Gorilla Forest is objectively the best? No, it's not. Because it's almost impossible to make that decision when there are multiple that are of equal quality.

[@calizoos4072]

that wasnt the question tho...

[@samuelb66]

​@@calizoos4072 his question in the top comment reads exactly "objectively what is the best zoo exhibit you've ever seen?" The question of the video is "The Best Exhibit in America?" Referring to Congo Gorilla Forest at Bronx. I addressed both questions and raised points of my own to potentially further discussion on this topic. Didn't realize that would be an issue 🤷‍♂️

[@MarcoAnguloistheGOAT]

@@samuelb66is there a problem with him expressing his opinion?

[@samuelb66]

@@MarcoAnguloistheGOAT No where in this conversation did I ever go after someone's opinion, or tell someone they can't have one. You're trying to create a problem that doesn't exist.

[@MarcoAnguloistheGOAT]

@@samuelb66oh my b i replied to the wrong person

[@nikolausmanzi6025]

Bronx zoo is the best!

[@steliosstanis2125]

🌺🌴🦍🌴🌺

[@Youngkye911]

Noice👍🏻

[@MarcoAnguloistheGOAT]

Best exhibit ive ever seen is heart of africa in columbus

[@AveryBybee]

Ocean voyager

[@nicholasmahoney7820]

My answer to the question is Kilimanjaro Safaris.