Overview
- The James and Elizabeth Bramsen Tropical Forests opened to visitors on July 11 and spans three acres as one of the nation’s largest primate habitats.
- Funding for the $66 million project includes a $40 million gift from James and Elizabeth Bramsen alongside ARPA grants and public fundraising.
- The naturalistic environment allows gorillas, orangutans and other primates to feel grass underfoot and bask in sunlight and fresh breeze for the first time.
- The construction phase created 336 temporary jobs along with new permanent positions, spurring over $182 million in local economic activity.
- The exhibit integrates conservation education through initiatives like cellphone recycling to curb coltan demand and paves the way for an 18-acre African savannah expansion.