The makeover began in 2009 after the chimps were moved to a temporary exhibit.
Six families now make up the 17 animals at the new chimpanzee sanctuary. The eldest is 59-year-old Lulu and the youngest Sule, who was born in 2008.
Senior primate keeper Allan Schmidt said the new enclosure would meet the changing needs of the chimps, including a population of maturing males.
"We needed to redevelop this enclosure for the maturing male population and we need to manage that, we needed to add complexity," he said.
The new enclosure also includes a parallel play area where human youngsters can hang on one side of a rope, with the chimps on the other, and a tunnel children can crawl in and be face to face with their distant relations.
Members of the public will be able to stand on a viewing deck and see into the enclosure as the chimps roll in the grass, bask in the sun or show off to the crowds.
The chimps seemed to enjoy having the cameras on them today, swinging high in the tree tops, racing along the tightropes and clearly enjoying their new home.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/chimps-move-into-new-7-million-home-20110930-1l17d.html#ixzz1ZmAIH200
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