WCS celebrates Gorilla Congo’s 10th year

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo has gone bananas!

The WCS kicked off the 10th anniversary of the Congo Gorilla Forest on Friday, June 19, offering visitors new and fun filled events in honor of the milestone.

Sponsored by Bank of America, events will be held every Friday and Saturday through Saturday, July 11.

On Saturday, July 17 a workshop on mask making, administered by the Museum of African Art, will be held. The Museum will have basket-making workshops on Friday, June 26, and Saturday, June 27.

Additionally, gourd adornment will be available at the same time on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4, and a beads and adornment workshop on Friday, July 10 and Saturday, July 11. All workshops will be held in the Dancing Crane Plaza from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For all 10 days, Congo dancing and drum music from the Harambee Dance Troupe will fill the park as a parade travels into the Congo Gorilla Forest at 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m..

Interactive storytellers and musicians in the Dancing Crane Plaza will thrill families as they depict stories and legends of animals at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Guided tours will be offered at 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m., accommodating guests on a first come first service basis.

All services for the celebration are a part of the $3 admission to the Congo Gorilla Forest, or are included in the Total Experience Ticket.

Promotion deals will be offered through the celebration, including 10% off on Gorilla T-shirts and plush toys. Chocolate covered bananas will also be an added menu item at certain locations.

In it’s existence the Congo Gorilla Forest has seen over 7 million visitors, raising nearly $ 10 million towards efforts to protect animals, including gorillas, elephants, and mandrills, spreading the efforts throughout more than 20 African nations.

Now home to 2 troops, or 19 gorillas, since 1999 the exhibit has seen the birth of 14 gorillas, 23 red river hogs, 11 wolf’s guenons and 4 okapis.

“With this one exhibit, you can truly see the extraordinary power of the Bronx Zoo,” said Steve Sanderson, president and CEO of the WCS. “Through its 10-year history, the Congo Gorilla Forest has turned millions of our visitors into conservationists and has helped directly to fund the protection of wildlife and wild places.”