"Opened in 1978 as a naturalistic, rain forest habitat for the Cincinnati Zoo's popular lowland gorillas. Other animals housed here are crowned guenons and colobus monkeys. Because of the success of our gorilla breeding program, Newsweek called the Cincinnati Zoo the 'sexiest zoo in the country.'
"www.CincinnatiZoo.org

I feel that one of the biggest attractions at the Cincinnati Zoo is the primates and one of the biggest of these is Colossus. When you first see Colossus, you get the impression that this big fellow is quite a bit agitated at being gawked at by thousands of visitors every year. He seems a bit bored and a bit  angry at the same time. The cries of, "Hey, monkey!" from the less-literate visitors don't do a lot for my patience either.

I actually feel very depressed each time I leave the gorilla exhibit - not because I wish they would be released into the wild or that I feel they are mistreated - I feel a little bummed out because they seem to want to be anywhere but on display. From the lectures given by the zoo staff, Colossus has never been that inclined to mate with the females. Who can blame the guy?

"Jungle Trails is a naturalized rain forest habitat, teeming with rare and exotic wildlife and hundreds of plant species from Asia and Africa. The exhibit, with both indoor and outdoor viewing areas, has become the home for the Zoo's collection of rare primates, including endangered bonobo chimpanzees, orangutans and lemurs. In addition, Jungle Trails houses birds and reptiles from Asian and African rain forest regions. Jungle Trails received the American Zoo and Aquarium Association's prestigious exhibit award in 1994."
www.CincinnatiZoo.org

Jungle Trails is a fairly recent addition to the Cincinnati Zoo. It consists of a walking path through a very realistic jungle recreation. The exhibits are distributed along the path at very natural intervals. My favorite part of the exhibit is the Sumatran Orangutan exhibit. We spend up to an hour at this exhibit each time we come to the zoo. Orangutans are very quiet and seemingly shy primates. If you are quiet and avoid direct eye contact (very important in the primate world), they will demonstrate their curiosity; especially if you have odd looking camera equipment. I tend to do most of my observing from behind my camera to avoid making them feel uncomfortable.

One of the newest exhibits at the zoo is Lords of the Arctic. This incredible exhibit ($2.75 million, 21,000 square feet exhibit) houses four polar bears. The exhibit has two sections and includes a reconstruction of a rocky coastline and two underwater sections (12-feet deep, 70,000 gallons). On one end of the exhibit, there is a glass-walled viewing area from which to watch these Arctic giants in their natural surroundings, water.
These huge glass panes allow you to get very close to these amazingly powerful animals. The glass is 10-ply security glass and for good reason. The bears love to dive underwater, conduct a casual descent to the glass and use their powerful back feet to push themselves through the water. Occasionally, a bear will smack the glass with its front paws in an attempt to startle those standing a bit too close for comfort. This is usually followed by squeals and giggles from children.

Deep down inside, I am very glad for the 10-ply glass and usually leave the exhibit with a bit more respect for the power of these amazing animals. I am also very thankful that I am not a seal in the Arctic who faces these 775-1500 lb predators.

The Big Cat exhibits are not grouped together but I am including them together for convenience. In addition to the wonderful African lions, the zoo boasts the world's largest collection of White (mistakenly labeled Siberian) tigers.

The White Tiger Controversy
There is some controversy among naturalists concerning the zoo's seeming infatuation with their white tigers. David Quammen, one of the world's most renowned science and nature writers, had this to say in a chapter of his masterfully written Wild Thoughts from Wild Places, dedicated to the Cincinnati Zoo and the white tiger breeding program:

"The white tiger is not an endangered species. Not is it even an endangered subspecies like... the Asiatic lion. A white tiger is something quite different: a mutant."

David Quammen, Wild Thoughts from Wild Places, pp. 83-84

Nearly all of the white tiger breeding done at the zoo is between siblings. Additionally, one of the prime breeding female white tigers, Kesari, has deliver twenty-five live born white cubs - an impossibility for tigers in the wild. David Quammen asked Bob Lotshaw, the curator of tigers at the Cincinnati Zoo, what the real purpose of inbreeding a family line to produce dozens of white tiger cubs was and he was told, "It's marketing. It's popularity. It's a major source of income for continuing other programs here at the zoo." David Quammen, Wild Thoughts from Wild Places, p. 86

Given this mindset, it is difficult to speak to the pristine environment or natural processes - it is a zoo after all. Considering Cincinnati's outstanding international prestige and top-notch facilities, focusing on only one breeding program is a little trivial. Considering a family membership to the zoo with parking runs around $80 per year, it's no wonder that the zoo is enjoying the successes of it's white tiger breeding program. The going price for a white tiger cub is $60,000 - that's quite a few membership fees as well as a lot of families who will come to the zoo every year, stroll past the white tiger exhibit, and exclaim, "Look daddy! A Siberian tiger!".