Australasian Western Lowland Gorilla Population

[Zoofan15]

Otana is a very protective individual, and he was frustrated by Julia ignoring his warnings and getting to close to Kimya and baby Kanzi.

This stemmed from Julia being raised alongside chimpanzees in her formative years and absorbing their social interactions. After being attacked by Otana each time (for sitting too close to Kimya and the infant), she returned to sit next to Kimya again (as if seeking support like a chimpanzee would do).

I’ve seen several incidences of female gorillas banding together to support a female in the troop being bullied by the silverback (even a female they don’t like) if they feel the punishment is unwarranted. Aside from the fact she had a newborn in her arms, Kimya likely didn’t intervene as she didn’t understand Julia’s defiance of basic gorilla behavioural protocol.

 

[toothlessjaws]

Julia's death and G-Annes exile was definitely a sad outcome for the troop and zoo.

Given the factors that apparently led to this situation, perhaps the Zoo have been waiting for Otana's defensive behaviour towards his infant to subside a bit before introducing more females to the group. This might also explain why Kimya has not had another pregnancy - another baby could reboot the whole behaviour again.

I have noticed that the zoo has reopened the main glass viewing area of the gorilla exhibit (albeit with a new fence keeping you about a meter back). perhaps things have settled but the pandemic has delayed any transfers that could have been expected in the last year.

I have little doubt that more females are planned for Melbourne's troop. But with only one suitable mate out of the three females in the troop, You'd think Otana has only to reject another female for the zoo concluding the easier solution being to move in another silverback (if they can find Otana a new home).

Keep in mind if my memory serves correct, Ganyeka was hand-raised like his older brother Yakini. So likely no new silverback will be sourced from Werribee's group of bachelors...

 

[Zoofan15]

Keep in mind if my memory serves correct, Ganyeka was hand-raised like his older brother Yakini. So likely no new silverback will be sourced from Werribee's group of bachelors...

Ganyeka was peer raised alongside Yakini and Johari, before they were reintroduced to the troop. He’s a low ranking member of the bachelor troop and would likely lack the assertiveness required of a silverback (similar to Rigo).

G-Ann is the only surviving offspring of her wild born mother, so it’s possible they may want to pass her genes on. The opportunity would naturally arise upon Motoba’s death (especially if Yakini had also died); otherwise it makes good management sense not to disrupt an otherwise cohesive bachelor troop for the sake of experimenting with a male, who likely wouldn’t be a successful silverback.

 

[Jambo]

Ganyeka was peer raised alongside Yakini and Johari, before they were reintroduced to the troop. He’s a low ranking member of the bachelor troop and would likely lack the assertiveness required of a silverback (similar to Rigo).

G-Ann is the only surviving offspring of her wild born mother, so it’s possible they may want to pass her genes on. The opportunity would naturally arise upon Motoba’s death (especially if Yakini had also died); otherwise it makes good management sense not to disrupt an otherwise cohesive bachelor troop for the sake of experimenting with a male, who likely wouldn’t be a successful silverback.

Yakini, despite being hand raised, is apparently a socially normal silverback, and I was told a few years ago by one the keepers that he would make a great silverback in the future. Motoba is ironically the lowest ranking, and when I last visited a year ago, Ganyeka was actually challenging Yakini for the dominant male role at the time. I believe both males would be reasonable silverbacks in the future, especially Yakini.

Both G-Anne and Yuska are both genetically valuable females, and so both Yakini and Ganyeka should be bred if the opportunity arises, and they are considered to be socially capable. The group shouldn’t be disrupted, especially since they have lived together cohesively for the past 15 years. Maybe a change will be made, if needed, once Motoba dies.

 

[Jambo]

Australasian Western Lowland Gorilla Population

There are currently five holders of Western lowland gorilla in the region. Three facilities hold breeding troops; two hold bachelor troops. Sydney Zoo has expressed an interest in holding this species and may receive them in the future; and Adelaide Zoo include plans to exhibit them in their latest masterplan.

Taronga Zoo:

1.0 Kibali (25/03/2001) Yaounde x Moseka; Imported 2012
0.1 Frala (14/06/1981) Bongo x Mintha; Imported 1996
0.1 Johari (26/04/2000) Motoba x Julia
0.1 Mbeli (05/02/2003) Kibabu x Mouila
1.0 Mjukuu (30/10/2014) Kibali x Mbeli
1.0 Fabumi (13/05/2015) Kibali x Frala
1.0 Mwamba (02/09/2017 Kibali x Mbeli
0.1 Fikiri (06/06/2019) Kibali x Frala

Melbourne Zoo:

1.0 Otana (28/01/2001) Kouillou x Tamba; Imported 2013
0.1 Yuska (00/00/1971) Wild x Wild; Imported 1973
0.1 Kimya (12/01/2005) Kibabu x Kriba
0.1 Kanzi (14/03/2015) Otana x Kimya

Werribee Open Range Zoo:

1.0 Motaba (23/12/1983) Jambo x Nandi; Imported 1990
1.0 Yakini (28/11/1999) Motoba x Yuska
1.0 Ganyeka (29/04/2000) Motoba x G-Ann

Mogo Zoo:

1.0 Kisane (18/08/2006) Djanghou x Sanki; Imported 2019
0.1 G-Ann (08/06/1979) Moemba x Fern; Imported 1997
0.1 Kriba (09/08/1979) Bongo x Mouila; Imported 1996
0.1 Kipenzi (14/01/2011) Kibabu x Kriba

Orana Wildlife Park:

1.0 Fataki (24/05/2003) Kibabu x Frala
1.0 Fuzu (08/12/2007) Kibabu x Frala
1.0 Mahali (18/08/2008) Kibabu x Mouila

Total regional population: 12.10

Just a slight correction, Kimya was born on the 7th of January not the 12th. Great list though, it’s great to have a compiled and thorough list of all the gorillas in the region.

 

[Riley]

I thought I might add a little info from when I was last at Mogo a little over a year ago. I spoke to a keeper when I was there and they told me that Kriba was off contraception but Kipenzi was still on contraception, they said their plans at that stage was hopefully that Kriba would fall pregnant and have one final offspring to teach her daughter Kipenzi how to be a good mother and then to allow Kipenzi to fall pregnant. At this time G-Anne was seperate from the group due to recovering from some kind of medical treatment. They said that in general she did prefer to be alone but had previously been mixed with the main group before needing to be separated. Fingers crossed it’s not too long until we see a little baby gorilla at Mogo

 

[Zoofan15]

I thought I might add a little info from when I was last at Mogo a little over a year ago. I spoke to a keeper when I was there and they told me that Kriba was off contraception but Kipenzi was still on contraception, they said their plans at that stage was hopefully that Kriba would fall pregnant and have one final offspring to teach her daughter Kipenzi how to be a good mother and then to allow Kipenzi to fall pregnant. At this time G-Anne was seperate from the group due to recovering from some kind of medical treatment. They said that in general she did prefer to be alone but had previously been mixed with the main group before needing to be separated. Fingers crossed it’s not too long until we see a little baby gorilla at Mogo

It’s unfortunate that as the last infant of the Kibabu era, Kipenzi had no opportunity to witness the raising of infants (by her mother or other females). Given she’s 10 years old and almost at the end of the critical learning period, it seems pointless to go this route.

Kriba is 42 years old this year and well past prime breeding age. I can find no examples of female Western lowland gorillas giving birth at the age 42 (only a 39 year old at Franklin Park Zoo). While I’m sure there have been a handful, they were surely exceptional cases.

Jersey Zoo attempted something similar (with Kishka when she was in her late thirties), which was ultimately unsuccessful due to her age. In this case, Kishka had no surviving offspring; but Kriba is well represented and if the only reason for attempting to breed her is the chance it could benefit her adolescent daughter’s mothering skills, that seems unjustifiable to me.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Agreed. Further, I do think and feel it is important that Kipenzi may learn by default and ultimately she may prove a great mother first time (given the history of a good upbringing by her own mother).

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Kriba, I believe, was from the Apenheul line, so well integrated gorillas. Cannot see the point in waiting with her own offspring passing on the genes to the next generation.

 

[Jambo]

It’s unfortunate that as the last infant of the Kibabu era, Kipenzi had no opportunity to witness the raising of infants (by her mother or other females). Given she’s 10 years old and almost at the end of the critical learning period, it seems pointless to go this route.

Kriba is 42 years old this year and well past prime breeding age. I can find no examples of female Western lowland gorillas giving birth at the age 42 (only a 39 year old at Franklin Park Zoo). While I’m sure there have been a handful, they were surely exceptional cases.

Jersey Zoo attempted something similar (with Kishka when she was in her late thirties), which was ultimately unsuccessful due to her age. In this case, Kishka had no surviving offspring; but Kriba is well represented and if the only reason for attempting to breed her is the chance it could benefit her adolescent daughter’s mothering skills, that seems unjustifiable to me.

The original three breeding females at Taronga; Mouila, Kriba and Frala were all excellent mothers. Kriba is 42, as you say, and is well past her prime breeding age. Frala is currently the oldest mother in the region at 38 years old (when she gave birth to Fikiri).

Considering they have been attempting to breed Kriba for the last year, and nothing has come of it, I would scrap the whole idea and allow Kipenzi, who is now 10, to have a chance to conceive. There is no reason to believe why Kipenzi shouldn’t be a good mother in the first place. Most females have raised infants successfully in the past, if they have been around other gorillas; the females that reject their infants have been either raised by humans, or been in contact humans from a young age. So I see no reason why Kipenzi shouldn’t have the chance to breed at the moment.

 

[Jambo]

Kriba, I believe, was from the Apenheul line, so well integrated gorillas. Cannot see the point in waiting with her own offspring passing on the genes to the next generation.

Kriba was born at Apenhuel to Bongo and Mouila in 1979; Mouila died at Mogo in 2015, and Kriba has half siblings and nephews and nieces already. It’s a very successful line and it’s just a waste of time for Kriba to get pregnant again, especially at her age.

 

[Zoofan15]

Kriba, I believe, was from the Apenheul line, so well integrated gorillas. Cannot see the point in waiting with her own offspring passing on the genes to the next generation.

Kriba was born at Apenhuel to Bongo and Mouila in 1979; Mouila died at Mogo in 2015, and Kriba has half siblings and nephews and nieces already. It’s a very successful line and it’s just a waste of time for Kriba to get pregnant again, especially at her age.

Kriba’s father, Bongo, sired an impressive 27 offspring!

From Mouila alone, there’s her six offspring (all surviving), of which five have bred to produce 22 grandchildren. She also has great grandchildren, great great grandchildren and one great great great grandchild!

For those who didn’t know - Kriba’s daughter, Safiri, sadly died last year aged 24 years. Safiri came to Taronga Zoo with Kriba in 1996 as a seven month old infant. She was later sent to Duisburg Zoo, where she has 1.2 surviving offspring. She was famous for delivering conjoined twins (that didn’t survive) in 2013.

 

[Pertinax]

Kriba’s daughter, Safiri, sadly died last year aged 24 years. Safiri came to Taronga Zoo with Kriba in 1996 as a seven month old infant. She was later sent to Duisburg Zoo, where she has 1.2 surviving offspring. She was famous for delivering conjoined twins (that didn’t survive) in 2013.

Another Australian connection, at Duisburg the silverback is Mapeema, Ya Kwanza's (M'zuri's) only offspring.

 

[Pertinax]

Agreed. Further, I do think and feel it is important that Kipenzi may learn by default and ultimately she may prove a great mother first time (given the history of a good upbringing by her own mother).

I believe some zoos attatch too much importance to the 'learning' process in Great Apes. Maternal behaviour is innate in most, even a number of handraised females have proved perfect first time mothers, often without observing any other infant previously. While others, given an example, have still failed. But the problem more with these desocialised ones is getting them to mate and get pregnant in the first place. Delaying allowing Kipenzi to breed, if just for this reason alone, seems a waste of time.

 

[Pertinax]

Melbourne's group has shrunk alarmingly over the years. I think the best option -if they could achieve it- would be the import of two young mother-raised females(8-12 age range and preferably related so they had a bond already) which could be added to the group. I would not envisage problems with Otana in that scenario.

 

[Jambo]

Kriba’s father, Bongo, sired an impressive 27 offspring!

From Mouila alone, there’s her six offspring (all surviving), of which five have bred to produce 22 grandchildren. She also has great grandchildren, great great grandchildren and one great great great grandchild!

For those who didn’t know - Kriba’s daughter, Safiri, sadly died last year aged 24 years. Safiri came to Taronga Zoo with Kriba in 1996 as a seven month old infant. She was later sent to Duisburg Zoo, where she has 1.2 surviving offspring. She was famous for delivering conjoined twins (that didn’t survive) in 2013.

That line and that of Kibabu’s makes Taronga’s original troop incredibly genetically represented. Maybe that’s why there is no rush with breeding Kimya again at Melbourne.

That’s sad news about Safiri, especially since she was only 24 years old. She arrived at Taronga when she was only a few months old back in 1996. Kriba still has four surviving offspring, all sired by Kibabu:

0.1 Joas (1989)
0.1 Kijivu (1993)
0.1 Kimya (2005)
0.1 Kipenzi (2011)

Another Australian connection, at Duisburg the silverback is Mapeema, Ya Kwanza's (M'zuri's) only offspring.

It was pretty cool to see the Melbourne lines and the Taronga lines eventually intertwine. They have three surviving children together; two sons and a daughter.

 

[Pertinax]

That line and that of Kibabu’s makes Taronga’s original troop incredibly genetically represented. Maybe that’s why there is no rush with breeding Kimya again at Melbourne.

The female at Taronga that really needs to breed but probably never will, is Julia's daughter Johari (only offspring of deceased wildcaught mother). Her background means she and the silverback will probably never mate. But she might do so with a younger male in the group, if one stayed in it long enough to become fertile.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

The female at Taronga that really needs to breed but probably never will, is Julia's daughter Johari (only offspring of deceased wildcaught mother). Her background means she and the silverback will probably never mate. But she might do so with a younger male in the group, if one stayed in it long enough to become fertile.

Would it be an idea to send her to Melbourne?

 

[Riley]

Would it be an idea to send her to Melbourne?

Given her hand raised background I’d say if she was sent back to Melbourne she’d likely meet the same fate as her mother, she’s on the outter of the Taronga group due to her lack of social skill which is one of main reasons she hasn’t bred. But I think removing her from a group where she lives amicably in the hopes she’ll breed with a male who’s prove to be violent towards females that struggle socially wouldn’t be a good option for her at all

 

[Zorro]

Melbourne's group has shrunk alarmingly over the years. I think the best option -if they could achieve it- would be the import of two young mother-raised females(8-12 age range and preferably related so they had a bond already) which could be added to the group. I would not envisage problems with Otana in that scenario.

It makes one think of what are the TAG team are doing here, they appear to be slipping backwards instead of moving forwards?. I had read a few years ago the the US population grows at 10% per year which if correct is wonderful, I find it puzzling why in oz they are not thriving as they should?