Diana Monkeys in UK

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Pertinax

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Does anyone know if and how many Diana Monkeys are still at Port Lympne nowadays?

I was just trying to think of how many UK zoos still exhibit this species. As I know it;

Edinburgh 1.1.
London 1.1.(non breeding.)
Paignton 1.2.
Twycross. 1.2.2.
Port Lympne. ?
Yorkshire WP. (Roloway Monkey) 1.2?

I belive that is the sum total nowadays.
 
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Pertinax said:
Does anyone know if and how many Diana Monkeys are still at Port Lympne nowadays?
I was just trying to think of how many UK zoos still exhibit this species. As I know it;
I believe that is the sum total nowadays.
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Edinburgh 1.1.
London 1.1.(non breeding.)
Paignton 1.2.
Twycross. 3.2
Port Lympne. 0.1
Yorkshire WP. (Roloway Monkey) 1.1
 
TriUK said:
It’s a real shame if that’s the case. Paignton has a huge enclosure for them and they are a very attractive monkey. I remember Twycross in the old days having lots of Diana’s. Are they popular in Europe & is captive breeding important for this species?
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Honestly, I have no idea if they are popular in European zoos. I've only seen them in captivity in London and possibly in Bristol (this may have actually been a Roloway?) and Edinburgh (visited both of these zoos a long time ago so my memory isn't so good).

I would imagine that captive breeding must be important for the ex-situ conservation of the species given that this monkey is classified as endangered by the IUCN and there are considerable pressures exerted on wild populations from the bushmeat trade and deforestation.
 
When Paignton's current male, Toby, arrived from Ostrava, Czech Republic, in January 2016, I remember @Jana saying that Dianas 'breed like rats' there! Poor Toby doesn't appear to have had much success with Paignton's two females (mother and daughter).
 
Dianas indeed breed well in Ostrava. Here is a video made by the zoo in April this year. The text under video says, they have 25 animals. A group of 16 animals (1,3 and their offspring) in "Pavillion of evolution", 6 animals in old monkey house and 3 animals (1,1 with baby) off show.

They also sent a group of 1,2 to zoo Liberec in 2017 and 2018 and that group had their first 2 babies in 2019. When the zoo announced the birth, the article mentioned that 29 zoos keep 120 Diana monkeys worldwide and that in year 2018 only 8 were born in captivity.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
It seems that this species is being phased out from collections now ?
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I don't think they are deliberately being phased out in the UK, more a case of lack of breeding and a dwindling population. I remember when Edinburgh had around a dozen, and even Chessington had 6. Newquay bred them too and had six at one time, their last two females are now the current two at Twycross. Each of these other groups have simply dwindled away with no apparent focus on maintaining or saving them. Even Port Lympne, formerly themselves a supplier to other UK zoos, are now down to a single animal. Twycross now seems to represent the only significant hope for future breeding in the UK- although they are listed as 3.2, I believe the older offspring may actually be female. Paignton have the potential for further breeding too, but have not had a baby since their former successful breeding pair was (unwisely IMO) split up by EEP recommendation, and the male sent abroad and replaced with a much younger one who still hasn't bred. Several years of no breeding has been the result.

IMO only larger groups like Ostrava's can really be considered successful, as these(and other) guenons thrive and breed best in larger established groups which provide the proper social stimulus.
 
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Pertinax said:
I don't think they are deliberately being phased out in the UK, more a case of lack of breeding and a dwindling population. I remember when Edinburgh had around a dozen, and even Chessington had 6. Newquay bred them too and had six at one time, their last two females are now the current two at Twycross. Each of these other groups have simply dwindled away with no apparent focus on maintaining or saving them. Even Port Lympne, formerly themselves a supplier to other UK zoos, are now down to a single animal. Twycross now seems to represent the only significant hope for future breeding in the UK- although they are listed as 3.2, I believe the older offspring may actually be female. Paignton have the potential for further breeding too, but have not had a baby since their former successful breeding pair was (unwisely IMO) split up by EEP recommendation, and the male sent abroad and replaced with a much younger one who still hasn't bred. Several years of no breeding has been the result.

IMO only larger groups like Ostrava's can really be considered successful, as these(and other) guenons thrive and breed best in larger established groups which provide the proper social stimulus.
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Thank you for your comment Pertinax. I think it is kind of sad that this species and many others are fading away from zoo collections.

I suppose at least in the UK this could be resolved by importing more from zoos on the continent where they seem to be kept in higher numbers ?
 
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Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Thank you for your comment Pertinax. I think it is kind of sad that this species and many others are fading away from zoo collections.

I suppose at least in the UK this could be resolved by importing more from zoos on the continent where they seem to be kept in higher numbers ?
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It is indeed sad to see this beautiful species, and others of the Guenon group, in such low numbers in our zoos nowadays. I think the only hope is where someone such as an individual owner or curator in a zoo might have a particular interest in such species and therefore make more effort to maintain a flourishing group. Plus they aren't the easiest of animals to mix successfully so some zoos might not be prepared to make the effort of trying to add fresh stock, only to be met with failure. But yes, imports from Europe would seem to be the real answer overall.
 
I wouldn’t think Twycross are looking at phasing them out haveing moved there’s to a larger new / old enclosure over the past twelve months with some investment on it would suggest they look to both keep and breed them for a while, given the current situation if they are looking at breeding any species is another question though
 
J C said:
I wouldn’t think Twycross are looking at phasing them out haveing moved there’s to a larger new / old enclosure over the past twelve months with some investment on it would suggest they look to both keep and breed them for a while, given the current situation if they are looking at breeding any species is another question though
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Also , I think (not 100% sure) that the current studbook keeper for the Roloway monkey is at Twycross so I don't think that it is likely that this zoo is giving up on the ex-situ management of guenons at all.
 
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Pertinax said:
It is indeed sad to see this beautiful species, and others of the Guenon group, in such low numbers in our zoos nowadays. I think the only hope is where someone such as an individual owner or curator in a zoo might have a particular interest in such species and therefore make more effort to maintain a flourishing group. Plus they aren't the easiest of animals to mix successfully so some zoos might not be prepared to make the effort of trying to add fresh stock, only to be met with failure. But yes, imports from Europe would seem to be the real answer overall.
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I certainly hope that they continue to be kept in UK zoos and that these institutions continue to take an interest in the ex-situ management of this species. Hopefully some of these zoos will address the situation and organize imports from Europe.

Out of curiosity, why is these species so hard to mix successfully ?
 
J C said:
I wouldn’t think Twycross are looking at phasing them out haveing moved there’s to a larger new / old enclosure over the past twelve months with some investment on it would suggest they look to both keep and breed them for a while, given the current situation if they are looking at breeding any species is another question though
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No, I have no fear of Twycross phasing them out, they have one of the best collections of Guenons still in the UK, though considerably reduced in species from what it was formerly. The main problem with their group is that the two females (sisters born at Newquay and obtained only a few years ago) are both now around the age of 20 years, so already approaching the upper age for breeding, plus I think one of them hasn't bred yet anyway(not sure on that last fact though).
 
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