|
INSIDE GORILLA
FOREST
 The adventure begins at the jungle’s edge where
an incredibly lifelike bronze sculpture of a gorilla family greets
travelers. A gift by Helen
and Dan Ulmer, this full-sized, four-figure grouping of a silverback
male, female with baby and juvenile gorillas was created by Louisville
artist Bill Wieger to give visitors a chance to touch and experience the
immense majesty of the largest of the great apes.
You track
along a winding wildlife highway created by Pygmy hippos
and other large mammals. Watch
for signs of recent animal excursions – like hoof prints and knuckle
prints that give clues of recent animal activity.
The first glimpse of the gorillas comes at an overlook of a “Bai,”
a large clearing occurring in dense forest of west and central Africa.
 A clear
jungle stream runs
between banks of exposed clay and over a bed of limestone, creating
stair-step cascades between quiet pools.
Pygmy hippos are here with special underwater vantage spots so
you can watch them at their favorite activities while completely
submerged with only their eyes and snouts poking through the still
water. Just beyond Western
lowland gorillas inhabit forest clearings.
 You
first see glimpses of these gentle giants in the first gorilla habitat.
Panoramic views
of both large outdoor regions are followed by an indoor encounter of
gorillas-in-the-round, but you are the one in the middle!
Separated
only by glass,
you come nose to nose with a troop of gorillas in the circular Gorilla
Sanctuary. The human area
is finished with the same materials as the gorillas’ habitat to create
the feeling of wandering into their world.
Nearby a stroll on the treetop boardwalk takes you into a modern
day Researcher’s Station for a rare opportunity to participate in
behavioral
observations and international conservation efforts.
 This
is a trip you will want to take time and time again – for each visit
will be an adventure. Gorilla Forest Capital Campaign chairperson
Annette Schnatter summed
it up best when she said; “This is our legacy for the children -- the
children of today and the children to follow.”
(Top statue photo courtesy of the Louisville Zoo, Robert Kemnitz.
All other photos
by The Courier-Journal, Pam Spaulding) |
