‘My 100th Sign To Go’: Woman Goes To Visit Gorillas At The San Antonio Zoo. There’s Just One Problem

In December 2025, the San Antonio Zoo debuted its new exhibit—starring gorillas.

“Congo Falls,” which is two acres in size and features a 70-foot-tall tower, is a big change for the zoo. Gorillas had been absent from the zoo for over 30 years, with the last gorilla transferred away in 1990.

Now, thanks to an investment of over $100 million, the zoo is able to provide a new gorilla complex complete with multiple terrains, plenty of space, and numerous viewpoints from which zoo-goers can see the massive creatures.

At least, they’re supposed to be able to see the animals. However, as TikTok user Amanda Gomez (@manduhh820) recently discovered, this isn’t always the case.

What Went Wrong With This Trip To The Zoo?

In her video, Gomez laments that a recent trip to the zoo to see the gorillas was unsuccessful. The reason? There were simply too many people.

“I went to go see the gorillas at the zoo today, and it was so busy,” Gomez starts. “Nobody would get the f— out of my way.”

She then shows a sizable crowd gathered at one of the viewing areas for the gorillas.

While her video was meant in good humor, Gomez is not the only one with this complaint. During the opening weekend of Congo Falls, the zoo welcomed over 30,000 guests. Higher attendance has also been observed in the weeks following. For example, less than a week after the Congo Falls opening, San Antonio Zoo ticket sales doubled.

What’s So Special About This New Gorilla Habitat?

Seeing these big numbers, some may wonder why the zoo took so long to develop such a gorilla complex.

Keeping Western Lowland gorillas in captivity, like any animal, requires a lot of preparation. Gorillas require a significant amount of space and are prone to the impact of outside stresses—a major issue in a loud, chaotic environment like a zoo. Not only that, but gorillas in captivity often prefer quiet, secluded areas, making it difficult to create a habitat that is ideal for both gorillas and visitors.

Building an environment that meets these challenges is difficult. However, the San Antonio Zoo has tried to create the ideal gorilla environment using a variety of methods.

All About San Antonio’s New Gorilla Exhibit

First, the San Antonio Zoo set aside a significant amount of space for their seven gorillas. Not only that, but the zoo separated their area into three different habitats: two outdoor and one indoor. This gives them privacy when desired and diverse enrichment when out and about.

Additionally, the outdoor environment also contains a range of activities to keep the apes entertained. A 70-foot-tall tower presents the apes with climbing opportunities. Waterfalls and gardens simulate a natural environment. Finally, zookeepers repeatedly hide food around the enclosure, allowing the gorillas to engage in natural foraging behaviors.

While they do this, they can be observed by guests from a variety of vantage points. That said, it may get a bit busy, as Gomez can attest.

“They are magical but it’s been way too packed,” she says of the gorilla enclosure in a comment. “You can’t enjoy.”

Is It Too Crowded At The Zoo?

While some are concerned about crowds crowding out their view, others are worried that such massive visitor numbers could be bad for the animals themselves.

In mid-December, videos began going viral showing gorillas in the new Congo Falls habitat running around and striking the glass.

As reported by the San Antonio Express-News, many internet users responded to these videos with concern.

“They shouldn’t let so many people visit all at one time,” wrote a user. “Like … let them enjoy their day!!!”

However, Hope Roth, a spokeswoman for the San Antonio Zoo, stated that this behavior was not a concern and that the gorilla shown in the videos has a history of such behavior.

“What you’re seeing is a gorilla expressing big gorilla feelings! This is a natural behavior that the bachelor troop has always exhibited, even at their previous home,” Roth told Express-News. “Banging on objects to make loud noises is one way gorillas communicate with one another, or to get a reaction from visitors.”

BroBible reached out to the San Antonio Zoo via email and Gomez via TikTok and Instagram direct message.