Taronga Zoo's Chimps revel in renovated exhibit

The world renowned Chimpanzee group at Sydney's Taronga Zoo have moved in to a newly renovated, state-of-the-art exhibit.

The $7 million home offers stunning views of Sydney Harbour and features giant towers, networks of climbing ropes and a 180 kilogram hammock which the youngsters love to play in, as well as an expansive glassed area and tunnel systems for visitors to get closer to the animals.

The development for the new home for the 17 chimps 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, stating "we needed to redevelop this enclosure for the maturing male population and we need to manage that, we needed to add complexity."

Chimpanzee enclosure exhibit courtesy of Taronga Zoo/Jackson Teece.