Brookfield Zoo - Tropic World

July 2008. Spider monkey and tapir.

I've heard so much about the Brookfield Tropic World, but it really doesn't look as world class as I've been led to believe. It looks incredibly artificial.

Many people call it Tragic World, as it was built almost 30 years ago and is practically all fake. However, the space for some of the primates is enormous, and there are plenty of climbing opportunities. Unfortunately the gorilla and orangutan exhibits are weak, and the sheer unreality of everything is disturbing in the 21st century.

Does Tropic World display two species of tapir. I thought it only had malayan tapirs or is that in one of Americas other rainforest buildings.

Species list for Tropic World: cotton-top tamarin, orangutan, gorilla, capuchin monkey, spider monkey, white-cheeked gibbon, colobus monkey, Syke's guenon, sooty mangabey, red-capped mangabey, mandrill, pygmy hippo, Brazilian tapir, giant anteater, Asian small-clawed otter. Having 11 primate species in one building is impressive, and there are some wonderful climbing opportunities for the monkeys, but overall in the year 2009 this building is deeply flawed and unrealistic.

esmeralda the spider monkey and jutal the tapir