In most zoos, it's the human visitors who get to travel freely, exploring the different areas and exhibits while the animals stay confined to their living spaces. At the Philadelphia Zoo, that old-fashioned approach is starting to change. A new project called the Treetop Trail, which opened July 28, is an experiment in the way a zoo is set up, allowing primates to venture out from their home.
The trail is network of more than 700 feet of tunnels made of flexible stainless-steel mesh, with steel rings installed every few feet to support the weight of the monkeys and the mesh. Treetop Trail's design, construction and modifications cost a total of $1.5 million, which was partially funded by a number of partnerships, but it is the realization of a long-held vision to get animals out of their dens and moving around.
The Philadelphia Zoo's Rare Animal Conservation Center is home to 10 kinds of monkeys and lemurs, including the Colombian black spider monkey.