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Your Adventure Begins
Take a journey through The African Forest and introduce you to some of the fascinating characters and animals that you will meet along the way. .jpg)
You will be transported to the heart of the Western equatorial African rainforest in search of the mysterious Koolookamba. Is it a subspecies of chimpanzee or perhaps a gorilla-chimp hybrid -- or maybe nothing more than a figment of the ever fertile human imagination? This real-life legend reminds us that biologists have yet to discover and classify many of earth’s living species.
While there is no signage pointing you in the right direction, you will see indications and likely even glimpses of the Koolookamba throughout The African Forest. There are multiple images hidden along the trail... so in essence, a Koolookamba waits around many corners.
Your African Forest expedition will introduce you to Gorilla Tommy, an adventurer and opportunist who undergoes a surprising transformation -- from exploiter of the natural world, bent on finding proof of the mythical Koolookamba, to protector of not only the legend of the creature, but of the wonderful diversity of wildlife, the land and its people.
Tommy may not always be available on your visit to The African Forest but you will find many examples of his work and care. His Treehouse is filled with information on the Koolookamba and possible sightings by the local people. He is constantly working in his search to find the elusive ape.
Just past our African wild dog exhibit, your adventure starts with your first steps into The African Forest, as the surrounding urban landscape gives way to rugged rock walls topped with a towering canopy of trees. Surprises await. Footprints, artifacts, unique sounds, cryptic writings, video images, and other clues entice the curious to explore an environment teeming with fascinating stories, characters and, of course, animals.
Following a path through a rock portal, the world of The African Forest opens with the Herzstein Trading Post, where you can stock up on food provisions for your journey. Small huts surround a central fire pit thwill be the site of storytelling and listening for the sounds of local wildlife. Here, guides present entertaining, educational programs about The African Forest wildlife and invite guests to participate in local conservation efforts. 
From the Herzstein Trading Post, you will wind through a wooded canopy to a large building overlooking a troup of chimpanzees. This is an observation study site where chimps are enticed to return frequently to search for food in termite mounds or from the limbs of fallen trees. The building is designed to allow you and the chimps to interact through expansive glass walls.
The buildings’ inside walls contain posters and graphics describing the plight of chimpanzees in Africa. At various times of day, a local guide will talk about animal training, behavior and care.
Leaving the chimpanzee study site, you'll round the bend to view the chimps in the open air. Following the route through a lava tunnel, you will come upon an unobstructed area presenting a mixed species habitat for Southern white rhinos and Greater kudu antelope. .jpg)
Continuing along, The African Forst the trail brings you to a wide plaza featuring the Shani Market gift shop, the Twiga Terrace restaurant and an all-encompassing view of our friendly family of Masai giraffe. One section of their habitat will provide you with an intimate and unique opportunity: Several times each day guests can come face-to-face with the world’s tallest terrestrial animals and feed them by hand.
As you continue on to the new cheetah exhibit, your walking expedition through The African Forest will be complete, but it is our hope that your journey of discovery will have only just begun. Like the explorer Gorilla Tommy, we hope that your stay in The African Forest creates such a sense of caring and passion for the land, the animals and the people of Africa, that you will become an advocate on their behalf.
There are many ways for you to continue this journey throughout your life. Conservation programs exist for many animals of Africa, and certainly traveling and experiencing Africa first hand is the ultimate dream. Stay connected to the African Forest and the conservation programs supported by the Houston Zoo by visiting our website at www.houstonzoo.org/african forest/.
Of course we hope to see you back in The African Forest many times, to experience yet another magnificent African adventure!
