As the boom of African drums echo across a wooded landscape, the Houston Zoo transformed a 6.5 acre site in the heart of the nation’s fourth largest city into an extraordinary adventure – The African Forest.Houston Zoo officials and honored VIP guests turned shovels on September 10 , 2009 in dark Texas Gulf Coast earth, officially launching Phase One construction of The African Forest, the most ambitious undertaking in the Zoo’s 88 year history.
Covering 6.5 wooded acres and featuring chimpanzees, rhinos, and giraffes, Phase one of The African Forest at the Houston Zoo is unique in its narrative organization. By incorporating elements of theatrical performance and developing multiple layers of interpretation and enjoyment, the African Forest allows visitors to explore and learn in different ways – through traditional signage, interactive elements, and dynamic personal encounters.
The African Forest adventure begins as guests follow a path through a rock portal emerging in an open area that is home to a village trading outpost and nature-based travel camp. At the outpost guests can sign up for special weekly guided tours or “Wild Winks” overnight camps in the Forest. Small round, leaf-covered huts surround a central fire pit that will be the site of storytelling and listening to the sounds of local wildlife. Around the fire pit, Zoo staff will present entertaining and education programs about African Forest wildlife and invite guests to participate in local conservation efforts.
The center of the building includes a low deck area featuring sculptures of a chimp family. The sculptures are arranged in a fashion to create a perfect photo opportunity for guests. The building’s inside walls contain posters and graphics describing the plight of chimpanzees in Africa. At different times of the day, a local guide will talk about animal training, behavior and care.
Proceeding along the African Forest trail, guests will come upon an open plaza featuring a restaurant, gift shop and a Masai giraffe habitat with elevated viewing opportunities. One section of the habitat will provide The African Forest guests an intimate and unique opportunity to feed the Zoo’s giraffe herd. Several times each day guests come nose to nose with the world’s tallest terrestrial animals, offering the Zoo’s giraffes approved treats provided at a nominal cost by The African Forest giraffe keepers.