Two very strong zoos go against one another in a category they both are tremendous in, primates. Woodland Park has the worlds first ever naturalistic gorilla habitat, a strong orangutan exhibit, lush lemur islands and a large patas monkey yard. Columbus has a large highly functional gorilla exhibit, a superb bonobo habitat and multiple Asian primate habitats including a underwhelming orangutan exhibit. Tomorrow: Saint Louis vs Sedgwick County
Woodland Park Zoo has two of the better gorilla exhibits in the nation, plus two of the better orangutan exhibits, as well as excellent island habitats for ring-tailed and red ruffed lemurs. On top of that there are very good exhibits for siamangs, Francois langurs, colobus, patas monkeys...and indoor enclosures for golden-lion tamarins and white-faced saki monkeys. Columbus has a gorilla exhibit that is adequate but Howletts-style and I'd be shocked if it was still in existence 15 years from today. The orangutan enclosure is ghastly, the gibbon exhibit (siamang/white-handed) is borderline mediocre for such a good zoo, plus there are colobus, vervet monkeys and mandrills. The bonobo outdoor yard is spectacular and the breeding record with gorillas is world-famous. Are there no lemurs at the zoo? Overall, I think that Columbus is the better zoo but Woodland Park easily gets my vote in this particular category. Adding up the exhibits for gorillas, orangutans, siamangs (full access to mature trees), patas monkeys, colobus, Francois langurs and two species of lemur means that every single one of those habitats is not only good but in fact excellent. Columbus does well with bonobos and vervet monkeys, plus their breeding record with gorillas, but I don't feel as if this category is really that close.
