Quick Take
- Congo Falls opened Dec 13, 2025, reintroducing gorillas to the Zoo after 30 years.
- Seven gorillas arrived: three females, Anaka, Andy, Merrie, and 4 males, Ajari, Shana, B’wenzi, and Juba.
- The 2-acre Congo Falls habitat features Lowland Basin, Indoor Rainforest, Gorilla Gorge, anchored by Mays Family Silverback Peak.
For gorilla lovers, a visit to the San Antonio Zoo just got much more exciting. After more than a 30-year absence, gorillas are back! The Zoo officially opened its new Congo Falls gorilla exhibit on December 13, 2025. The last gorilla at the Zoo was Mopie, who was transferred to the Smithsonian National Zoo in 1990. According to Hope Roth, public relations director at the San Antonio Zoo, the long wait was necessary to ensure the zoo was able to offer a state-of-the-art habitat for future gorilla occupants.
“Building a world-class gorilla environment was a significant endeavor. While the old gorilla enclosure was adequate, we wanted a much more enriching environment for future gorillas at the Zoo,” she says. “It was also part of the Zoo’s larger master plan, that addressed many improvements beyond a new gorilla habitat. We couldn’t begin work until the entire plan was finalized, which took several years,” she notes.
There was also funding to consider. According to Roth, the San Antonio Zoo does not receive any state or federal funding. It is 100 percent reliant on admission proceeds and philanthropic efforts to fund all improvements and cover operating costs. “Fundraising for the new exhibit was a process that added significant time to the overall process,” she says…