Chester Zoo What came of Chester Zoo´s Orangutan Capo?

[Paul Grimshaw]

My father Eric Grimshaw worked at Chester Zoo while founder George Mottershead was still alive, later working with Curator Bill Timmis for around 15 years (Bill came from Taronga Park Zoo I believe) and in that time my mother and father often ran Chester´s hand rearing programs - given we had a lot of space on the farm where we lived in Cheshire. After working together at Chester, Bill Timmis and my father later moved on to work together at the collection of George Lascelles at Harewood House in Yorkshire. The photo is taken in the 70´s (note the furniture and fashion!) at our farm in Ness, Neston, where my mother is pictured with one of two male Orangutans which she was hand rearing at the time for Bill Timmis. The male pictured was called Capo (the other was named Dato - or Datu). I do recall Capo being very tactile compared to Dato. Perhaps you know what came of either of these young Orangutans at Chester or elsewhere in the years following?

 

[MagpieGoose]

My father Eric Grimshaw worked at Chester Zoo while founder George Mottershead was still alive, later working with Curator Bill Timmis for around 15 years (Bill came from Taronga Park Zoo I believe) and in that time my mother and father often ran Chester´s hand rearing programs - given we had a lot of space on the farm where we lived in Cheshire. After working together at Chester, Bill Timmis and my father later moved on to work together at the collection of George Lascelles at Harewood House in Yorkshire. The photo is taken in the 70´s (note the furniture and fashion!) at our farm in Ness, Neston, where my mother is pictured with one of two male Orangutans which she was hand rearing at the time for Bill Timmis. The male pictured was called Capo (the other was named Dato - or Datu). I do recall Capo being very tactile compared toView attachment 487769 Dato. Perhaps you know what came of either of these young Orangutans at Chester or elsewhere in the years following?

'Datu' was moved to Twycross Zoo in 1981, before being moved to Hong Kong Zoo in the same year. He lived in Hong Kong until his death in 2008, and sired several offspring.

 

[Paul Grimshaw]

'Datu' was moved to Twycross Zoo in 1981, before being moved to Hong Kong Zoo in the same year. He lived in Hong Kong until his death in 2008, and sired several offspring.

How interesting and thank you very much for sharing this update. From your update I have learnt a few more interesting points, particularly the following from an article published in April 2012 about Datu´s move to Hong Kong:

Founded in 1871 by Charles Ford under the British rule, the garden only became focused on zoological exhibits in 1975, when the first male orangutan, Datu, was brought to Hong Kong. A foreign creature from the remote islands of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia and Malaysia, Datu was one of the only 40,000 orangutans left in the world. When he died of heart attack in 2008, Hong Kong people were enraged to find out the news was only disclosed six months later. Newspaper titles were sentimental then:“ They have wiped out our communal memory of growing up with Datu.”

I hope I might come across a few more old photos of the infant Capo and Datu one of these days.
Source: Orangutans: Where Is Home?

 

[MagpieGoose]

How interesting and thank you very much for sharing this update. From your update I have learnt a few more interesting points, particularly the following from an article published in April 2012 about Datu´s move to Hong Kong:

Founded in 1871 by Charles Ford under the British rule, the garden only became focused on zoological exhibits in 1975, when the first male orangutan, Datu, was brought to Hong Kong. A foreign creature from the remote islands of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia and Malaysia, Datu was one of the only 40,000 orangutans left in the world. When he died of heart attack in 2008, Hong Kong people were enraged to find out the news was only disclosed six months later. Newspaper titles were sentimental then:“ They have wiped out our communal memory of growing up with Datu.”

I hope I might come across a few more old photos of the infant Capo and Datu one of these days.
Source: Orangutans: Where Is Home?

I believe that this is a photo of 'Datu' - the photo originates from around 2008 and he was the only male recorded as being present at Hong Kong Zoo then

 

[Paul Grimshaw]

Its my mothers 84th birthday next week and I am sure she will be thrilled to see this image. She did mention to me that Lola was Datu´s mother, but apparently Lola´s maternal instincts were not terribly well developed at the time, hence his being hand reared. And the rest is history so they say. Thanks very much indeed for sharing the image. If you do come across any news of Capo or his whereabouts in the future then do please give me a nudge. All the best and thanks again.

 

[MagpieGoose]

Its my mothers 84th birthday next week and I am sure she will be thrilled to see this image. She did mention to me that Lola was Datu´s mother, but apparently Lola´s maternal instincts were not terribly well developed at the time, hence his being hand reared. And the rest is history so they say. Thanks very much indeed for sharing the image. If you do come across any news of Capo or his whereabouts in the future then do please give me a nudge. All the best and thanks again.

'Capo' also known as 'Kapau' and 'Gang-Gang' left Chester in 1985 to move to Shanghai Wild Animal Park but died only 4 months after arriving at the age of 8. I believe that 'Datu' was actually Martha's son (she's still alive and living at Chester) and 'Capo' was Lola's son

 

[Paul Grimshaw]

'Capo' also known as 'Kapau' and 'Gang-Gang' left Chester in 1985 to move to Shanghai Wild Animal Park but died only 4 months after arriving at the age of 8. I believe that 'Datu' was actually Martha's son (she's still alive and living at Chester) and 'Capo' was Lola's son

Thank you very much for providing these insights and also for clarifying the parentage. As a child myself i recall during the summer holidays, after my father locked up he would often ask me to feed Martha her evening drink, a huge beaker of milk, which she loved. I remember one summer evening he received a radio call to attend an emergency, Martha had escaped from her unlocked bed, through the staff area and when we arrived she was sat in a public area. No BS5750 or health and safety I dare say in these days. But such was Marthas kind nature and friendly disposition that she willingly held my fathers outstretched hand and gently walked back through into the staff quarters and swiftly into her own bed. Perhaps not the sort of story you often hear on Chester Zoo´s tv show in the modern era. A sad and unfortunate outcome for Capo, who even amongst such a placid species was himself such a mild mannered animal.