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Brookfield Zoo Debuts Three-Acre Bramsen Tropical Forests Habitat

The exhibit completes phase one of the zoo’s Next Century Plan with wildlife welfare and education at its core.

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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.