The colobines are a subfamily of Old-World Monkeys that represent the colobus and langurs mainly. Neither group is really large enough to receive their own population list but together with the mandrills represent the main three group of primates that Australasian Zoochatters always agree need more attention and management in our region. In the region there are currently three species with small populations – François' Langur (Trachypithecus francoisi), Dusky Langur (Trachypithecus obscurus) and Eastern Black-and-white Black Colobus (Colobus guereza). The François' Langurs and colobus are slowly increasing following recent births of the former and an import of the latter. The four Dusky Langurs are at a standstill with no opportunity for growth without imports. Of the four major Australian zoos, Perth Zoo doesn’t keep any colobines and they are a group of primates that haven’t really taken off among smaller zoos (maybe due to availability, cost and other factors unbeknown to me). There are no colobines in New Zealand zoos currently though Auckland did express interest to acquire a langur species but nothing has eventuated.
The region has had a long historical association with several langur species especially across the past thirty years – everything from Purple-faced Langurs, Silvered Leaf Langurs, Javan Langurs and Hanuman Langurs. Corrections and further information would be greatly appreciated – especially from Zoochatters around the Adelaide and Melbourne region to flesh out the colobus info at their local zoos.
François' Langurs (Trachypithecus francoisi) in Australasian zoos:
The François' Langurs are managed under an EEP for the species. Taronga’s group have been very successful with births with an expected male bias that comes with the species in captivity. Their group started with a 1.1 pair imported from Japan in 2004 (Hanoi and Saigon). Both were later exported but two of their full offspring remain in the region – female Elke (2009) who was the first to be born and Keo-co (2011) who is at Canberra currently. A harem was later created with the arrival of 1.1 langurs from Beijing (Bobo and Meili) in 2010 and a female from the Netherlands (Noel) in 2012. Both females have produced multiple offspring with Bobo and their most recent one being a male in March 2021. They currently have six growing males that I am sure will soon need to move of the out of the group.
The two Taronga-bred males at the National Zoo and Aquarium currently were initially moved to Mogo but have now been at Canberra for a few years. It remains to be seen if other zoos in the region will acquire the surplus males at Taronga or if they will move overseas.
National Zoo and Aquarium, ACT, Australia
1.0 Keo-co (Saigon x Hanoi) 30-01-2011 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 Tam Dao (Saigon x Meili) 00-08-2011 at Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo, NSW, Australia
1.0 Bobo (unk x unk) 00-00-0000; imported from Beijing Zoo, China in 2010
0.1 Meili (unk x uk) 00-00-0000; imported from Beijing Zoo, China in 2010
0.1 Noel (unk x unk) 00-00-0000; imported from Rotterdam Zoo, Netherlands in 2012
0.1 Elke (Saigon x Hanoi) 19-03-2009 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 Nangua (Bobo x Meili) 07-11-2015 at Taronga Zoo
0.1 Embe (Bobo x Noel) 21-07-2016 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 Jing (Bobo x Meili) 03-06-2017 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 Didi (Bobo x Noel) 30-04-2018 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 Minh (Bobo x Meili) 00-00-2018 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 UNK (Bobo x Noel) 26-09-2019 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 Manchu (Bobo x Meili) 22-03-2021 at Taronga Zoo
François' Langur Population Total: 13 (9.4)
Dusky Langurs (Trachypithecus obscurus) in the Australasian zoos:
There is only one zoo holding Dusky Langurs currently – four full siblings at Adelaide restricting any chance of future breeding without imports. The four langurs are mixed with two Malayan Tapirs with a large central Moreton Bay fig as the centrepiece of what looks to be a spectacular exhibit. While there were other members of the initial group, the pair that produced all four offspring in such a short yet so successful bracket were a male (Goblin) from Twycross Zoo, UK that arrived in 2004 and a female (Flier) from Singapore that arrived in 2001.
Adelaide Zoo, SA, Australia
1.0 Jingga (Goblin x Flier) 07-8-2006 at Adelaide Zoo
1.0 Nanti (Goblin x Flier) 21-07-2008 at Adelaide Zoo
0.1 Nakal (Goblin x Flier) 23-01-2011 at Adelaide Zoo
0.1 Tevy (Goblin x Flier) 05-08-2012 at Adelaide Zoo
Dusky Langur Population Total: 4(2.2)
Eastern Black-and-white Colobus (Colobus guereza) in Australasian zoos:
The colobus bred at Melbourne stem from a C.g. kikuyuensis male from Perth (Brodie) and a C. g. guereza female (Clover). They produced several offspring most of which are now at Canberra across two different groups. Melbourne’s currently have two individuals – an older individual and a female born around 2012. I haven’t managed to confirmed where they were born but have placed their place of birth as Melbourne** as a safe assumption with the younger female probably being an offspring of the pair mentioned above. I believe this is also a photo of the older colobus when she was born in 1996 (note the photo of the Javan langur infant born in 2000): https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-other-mums-on-mothers-day-20180513-h100fn.html
The former Monarto group comprised of a male imported from the United States and several Adelaide-born females I believe. I am not sure what the name of the male was but he would be the sire of the males at Adelaide (Jasiri and Kyoda) and the breeding female at Canberra (Safi). The remnants of Monarto’s group moved to Adelaide Zoo in 2018 – a female born at Canberra and two males bred at Monarto. Adelaide imported a second group in 2020 comprising of an older female born in Zoo Dresden, Germany and her two daughters that were born in France. The latter three females are C.g. kikuyuensis and the subspecies of Monarto’s former animals is probably a mixture of some sort (though this assumption hasn't been confirmed).
The National Zoo and Aquarium currently house three females (grandmother and mother from Monarto and daughter bred at Canberra) with a Melbourne-born male called Indi. They are the most recent facility to have bred the species in 2015. At the time of her birth it remained largely unknown who was the infant’s sire – *older male Chadwick or the Melbourne male. The zoo house another two males in their Jamala Lodge separate from the group of four – males Colby and Colin.
Adelaide Zoo, SA, Australia
0.1 Amanda (unk x unk) 00-00-1994 at Zoo Dresden, Germany; imported in 2020
0.1 Charlie (Chadwick x unk) 00-00-2002 at National Zoo and Aquarium
0.1 Zamba (unk x Amanda) 00-00-2004 at La Vallée des Singes, France; imported in 2020
1.0 Jasiri (unk x Greystoke) 00-00-2008 at Monarto Safari Park
1.0 Kyoda (unk x Masika) 00-07-2009 at Monarto Safari Park
0.1 Adale (unk x Amanda) 00-00-2010 at La Vallée des Singes, France; imported in 2020
Melbourne Zoo, VIC, Australia
0.1 Mkasu (unk x unk) 00-00-1996 at Melbourne Zoo**
0.1 Kipenzi (Brodie x Clover) 00-00-2012 at Melbourne Zoo**
National Zoo and Aquarium, ACT, Australia
0.1 Masika (unk x unk) 00-00-1998
1.0 Indi (Brodie x Clover) 09-01-2006 at Melbourne Zoo
0.1 Safi (unk x Masika) 00-00-2008 at Monarto Safari Park
1.0 Colby (Brodie x Clover) 26-09-2009 at Melbourne Zoo
1.0 Colin (Brodie x Clover) 03-06-2011 at Melbourne Zoo
0.1 Halle (*Indi x Safi) 00-06-2015 at National Zoo and Aquarium
Colobus Population Total: 14 (5.9)
The region has had a long historical association with several langur species especially across the past thirty years – everything from Purple-faced Langurs, Silvered Leaf Langurs, Javan Langurs and Hanuman Langurs. Corrections and further information would be greatly appreciated – especially from Zoochatters around the Adelaide and Melbourne region to flesh out the colobus info at their local zoos.
François' Langurs (Trachypithecus francoisi) in Australasian zoos:
The François' Langurs are managed under an EEP for the species. Taronga’s group have been very successful with births with an expected male bias that comes with the species in captivity. Their group started with a 1.1 pair imported from Japan in 2004 (Hanoi and Saigon). Both were later exported but two of their full offspring remain in the region – female Elke (2009) who was the first to be born and Keo-co (2011) who is at Canberra currently. A harem was later created with the arrival of 1.1 langurs from Beijing (Bobo and Meili) in 2010 and a female from the Netherlands (Noel) in 2012. Both females have produced multiple offspring with Bobo and their most recent one being a male in March 2021. They currently have six growing males that I am sure will soon need to move of the out of the group.
The two Taronga-bred males at the National Zoo and Aquarium currently were initially moved to Mogo but have now been at Canberra for a few years. It remains to be seen if other zoos in the region will acquire the surplus males at Taronga or if they will move overseas.
National Zoo and Aquarium, ACT, Australia
1.0 Keo-co (Saigon x Hanoi) 30-01-2011 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 Tam Dao (Saigon x Meili) 00-08-2011 at Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo, NSW, Australia
1.0 Bobo (unk x unk) 00-00-0000; imported from Beijing Zoo, China in 2010
0.1 Meili (unk x uk) 00-00-0000; imported from Beijing Zoo, China in 2010
0.1 Noel (unk x unk) 00-00-0000; imported from Rotterdam Zoo, Netherlands in 2012
0.1 Elke (Saigon x Hanoi) 19-03-2009 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 Nangua (Bobo x Meili) 07-11-2015 at Taronga Zoo
0.1 Embe (Bobo x Noel) 21-07-2016 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 Jing (Bobo x Meili) 03-06-2017 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 Didi (Bobo x Noel) 30-04-2018 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 Minh (Bobo x Meili) 00-00-2018 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 UNK (Bobo x Noel) 26-09-2019 at Taronga Zoo
1.0 Manchu (Bobo x Meili) 22-03-2021 at Taronga Zoo
François' Langur Population Total: 13 (9.4)
Dusky Langurs (Trachypithecus obscurus) in the Australasian zoos:
There is only one zoo holding Dusky Langurs currently – four full siblings at Adelaide restricting any chance of future breeding without imports. The four langurs are mixed with two Malayan Tapirs with a large central Moreton Bay fig as the centrepiece of what looks to be a spectacular exhibit. While there were other members of the initial group, the pair that produced all four offspring in such a short yet so successful bracket were a male (Goblin) from Twycross Zoo, UK that arrived in 2004 and a female (Flier) from Singapore that arrived in 2001.
Adelaide Zoo, SA, Australia
1.0 Jingga (Goblin x Flier) 07-8-2006 at Adelaide Zoo
1.0 Nanti (Goblin x Flier) 21-07-2008 at Adelaide Zoo
0.1 Nakal (Goblin x Flier) 23-01-2011 at Adelaide Zoo
0.1 Tevy (Goblin x Flier) 05-08-2012 at Adelaide Zoo
Dusky Langur Population Total: 4(2.2)
Eastern Black-and-white Colobus (Colobus guereza) in Australasian zoos:
The colobus bred at Melbourne stem from a C.g. kikuyuensis male from Perth (Brodie) and a C. g. guereza female (Clover). They produced several offspring most of which are now at Canberra across two different groups. Melbourne’s currently have two individuals – an older individual and a female born around 2012. I haven’t managed to confirmed where they were born but have placed their place of birth as Melbourne** as a safe assumption with the younger female probably being an offspring of the pair mentioned above. I believe this is also a photo of the older colobus when she was born in 1996 (note the photo of the Javan langur infant born in 2000): https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-other-mums-on-mothers-day-20180513-h100fn.html
The former Monarto group comprised of a male imported from the United States and several Adelaide-born females I believe. I am not sure what the name of the male was but he would be the sire of the males at Adelaide (Jasiri and Kyoda) and the breeding female at Canberra (Safi). The remnants of Monarto’s group moved to Adelaide Zoo in 2018 – a female born at Canberra and two males bred at Monarto. Adelaide imported a second group in 2020 comprising of an older female born in Zoo Dresden, Germany and her two daughters that were born in France. The latter three females are C.g. kikuyuensis and the subspecies of Monarto’s former animals is probably a mixture of some sort (though this assumption hasn't been confirmed).
The National Zoo and Aquarium currently house three females (grandmother and mother from Monarto and daughter bred at Canberra) with a Melbourne-born male called Indi. They are the most recent facility to have bred the species in 2015. At the time of her birth it remained largely unknown who was the infant’s sire – *older male Chadwick or the Melbourne male. The zoo house another two males in their Jamala Lodge separate from the group of four – males Colby and Colin.
Adelaide Zoo, SA, Australia
0.1 Amanda (unk x unk) 00-00-1994 at Zoo Dresden, Germany; imported in 2020
0.1 Charlie (Chadwick x unk) 00-00-2002 at National Zoo and Aquarium
0.1 Zamba (unk x Amanda) 00-00-2004 at La Vallée des Singes, France; imported in 2020
1.0 Jasiri (unk x Greystoke) 00-00-2008 at Monarto Safari Park
1.0 Kyoda (unk x Masika) 00-07-2009 at Monarto Safari Park
0.1 Adale (unk x Amanda) 00-00-2010 at La Vallée des Singes, France; imported in 2020
Melbourne Zoo, VIC, Australia
0.1 Mkasu (unk x unk) 00-00-1996 at Melbourne Zoo**
0.1 Kipenzi (Brodie x Clover) 00-00-2012 at Melbourne Zoo**
National Zoo and Aquarium, ACT, Australia
0.1 Masika (unk x unk) 00-00-1998
1.0 Indi (Brodie x Clover) 09-01-2006 at Melbourne Zoo
0.1 Safi (unk x Masika) 00-00-2008 at Monarto Safari Park
1.0 Colby (Brodie x Clover) 26-09-2009 at Melbourne Zoo
1.0 Colin (Brodie x Clover) 03-06-2011 at Melbourne Zoo
0.1 Halle (*Indi x Safi) 00-06-2015 at National Zoo and Aquarium
Colobus Population Total: 14 (5.9)
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