AT A GLANCE
Why go?
The Congo Gorilla Forest is the Bronx Zoo's flagship exhibit — a 6.5-acre immersive journey through the Central African rainforest that has welcomed more than 15 million visitors since opening in 1999. A one-third-mile trail winds past western lowland gorillas, vibrant mandrills, elusive okapis, red river hogs, and dozens of other species, all set among nearly 400 species of tropical plants ranging from towering 50-foot trees to delicate orchids.↗↗
More than a zoo display, the exhibit was designed as a groundbreaking participatory experience connecting visitors directly to conservation work happening thousands of miles away in the Congo Basin. Every visit supports WCS's field programs protecting 18 areas across six Central African countries.↗↗
A Living Rainforest in the Bronx
Stepping into Congo Gorilla Forest feels like entering another world. The exhibit recreates the dense canopy, humid understory, and layered complexity of a Central African rainforest right in the heart of the Bronx. As you walk the approximately one-third-mile trail, the sounds of city traffic fade and are replaced by birdsong, rustling foliage, and the occasional powerful hoot of a silverback gorilla.
