Visitors have a clear view of an eroded bank, where gorillas move gracefully. Then, civilization appears. A second viewing structure allows for intimate views of gorillas in this forest environment. Of the three subspecies of gorillas, the western lowland is the best climber, scaling 30 yards or more in search of tree fruits. A placid silverback seems to eye us on the other side of the glass, his potbelly a consequence of the especially large intestines he needs in order to digest his bulky vegetarian diet.
Mist descends from the tree canopy as visitors make their way along the path.
Another viewing area reveals a pair of juvenile gorillas probing a fallen tree with sticks, searching for ants and termites. A nursing female sits amid low branches to the left, camouflaged against the gray rock outcrop. Across a moat, visitors can watch the reclusive bongo, an African antelope that shares the same habitat with the gorillas. The Campo Gorilla Reserve is their first project at the Los Angeles Zoo.