Creature Comforts

Bonnie, Jerrard, Ripley and 10 other chimpanzees at the Los Angeles Zoo quietly lumbered into their new “penthouse” Thursday, setting foot for the first time in their top-floor playground.

There they can climb a jungle gym, swing from fire hoses and await completion of their new $4.5-million outdoor habitat.

Zoo and city officials held a midmorning housewarming party for the animals in preparation for “Chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains”--a permanent exhibit based on the Tanzanian wilderness set to open Aug. 1.

The $15-million exhibit eventually will be one of three--called the Great Ape Forest--that will showcase not only chimpanzees, but orangutans and gorillas.

Soon after their halting grand entrance, witnessed by about 60 humans, the chimps broke into a raucous chorus of squawks and yelps before settling down to feast on oranges, pineapples and, of course, bananas.

“They want to scare us away because they want all the stuff,” said Juanita Kempe, a zoo docent.

On a steep green hill overlooking the scene, two white, silent mountain goats stood like sentries within their own compound and monitored the chimpanzees’ rowdy celebration below.

The playground the chimps explored, surrounded by heavy construction, rests atop a brand new, rectangular, three-level “chimpanzee forest penthouse” that offers heated bedrooms and large windows.

The facility--financed largely by voter-approved recreation funds--will house the chimps until completion of their new habitat. Then the chimps will lounge and sleep at the penthouse only when they are not on display.

“The whole point is to give the chimps as much choice as possible,” said designer Jon Coe of CLR Design Inc., a Philadelphia firm that specializes in zoo exhibits.

The old chimp habitat on the same site was a stark rock mountain built 30 years ago. When finished, the new habitat will be 2.5 times larger than the old exhibit, said Gilda Franklin, a zoo spokeswoman.

Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan arrived to congratulate zoo personnel on the project and wish them well with the construction.

“The price of property has gone up during the last few days because of the new neighbors here,” Riordan said with a laugh. “They’re much cuter than the people who live in the houses in this area.

“As you stand here, as you look at the chimps, you really feel you have the charm of a child, that you can be excited to hear these wonderful animals.”

Riordan and City Council President John Ferraro presented symbolic gift boxes to the chimps. It didn’t take the animals very long to tear some of them to shreds.

*

Four students from the Foshay Learning Center in Los Angeles presented handmade dummies of burlap stuffed with rags to the chimps.

“We felt they might be a little stressed out,” said Daniel Leyva, 12, a student from Los Angeles. “It gives them something to play with while they’re out.”

Moments later, a large, dark brown chimpanzee grabbed one of the dummies by the ankle and repeatedly slammed it face-first against the penthouse floor.

Leyva and friends smiled and laughed at their success.