San Antonio Zoo set to bring back gorillas in new Congo Falls habitat

After more than three decades of waiting, residents and visitors to the San Antonio Zoo will get to see some long-gone animals in a whole new exhibit. The San Antonio Zoo hosted a ground breaking on Friday, March 1 to signify what they are calling a “significant milestone in the zoo’s 110-year history.”

With shovels in hand, Zoo officials signified the start of construction on the all new “Congo Falls” habitat in San Antonio, the new home for animals that hasn’t been seen in the Alamo City in 34 years: gorillas.

“Congo Falls is set to redefine the landscape of gorilla habitats in the United States with its unparalleled scale and innovation,” Tim Morrow, President & CEO of the San Antonio Zoo said. “Guests will be treated to numerous vantage points for observing the gorillas, while the expansive roaming areas and interactive browsing garden will create a truly immersive experience for both visitors and animals – begging the question, who is watching who?”

The Zoo is collaborating with the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) to bring eight Western lowland gorillas to San Antonio. The 2-acre habitat will be framed by the quarry wall, which the zoo said will feature a world-first, “the Mays Family Silverback Peak,” a 60-foot gorilla tower that will connect to a new event center, The Ralston, and allows the gorillas a skyline view of San Antonio.  “This innovative design blurs the lines between visitors and animals, creating spaces stimulating curiosity and interaction,” a release reads.

The San Antonio Zoo had gorillas in its history as far back as the 1950s. However, the last one seen in San Antonio was in 1990, when a gorilla named Mopie left the Alamo City for the Smithsonian Zoo in Washington, D.C.

However, according to the zoo, that will soon change, when the habitat has completed construction in 2025, 35 years since the last gorilla was housed at the zoo.