Damian Aspinalls Instagram page has stated that 13 year old silverback Gorilla Joshi has been transferred to a holding enclosure in the Congo, where he will eventually be released in the wild.
Howletts Wild Animal Park Howletts Wild Animal Park News 2021
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Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
I don't know if this has already been shared but this video came out on the Aspinall foundation channel about the move of the gorilla to the Congo:
taun
Well-Known Member
Over 70 gorillas re-wild? Do they include the family group that was wipeout? Yet Mr Aspinall was on here claiming 97% (was it) success rate? I bet here he is including the orphaned confiscated gorillas which will have a higher chance than a gorilla born in captivity.
Also hate the term "back home" what does that even mean to a gorilla or to us? To me it means two things, my own home and my parents house. Also he hasn't gone back to the wild yet, but I am being really picky there as hopefully one day he will be released.
To be fair and balanced, my view is captivity does produces a surplus of un-needed male animals and this is a good way to test re-introduction of species back by using these males. Plus using them with "orphaned" wild gorillas will help them learn before release.
Also hate the term "back home" what does that even mean to a gorilla or to us? To me it means two things, my own home and my parents house. Also he hasn't gone back to the wild yet, but I am being really picky there as hopefully one day he will be released.
To be fair and balanced, my view is captivity does produces a surplus of un-needed male animals and this is a good way to test re-introduction of species back by using these males. Plus using them with "orphaned" wild gorillas will help them learn before release.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
No idea about that.
I did read his paper on the gorilla reintroduction quite a while back so its not fresh in my memory but the impression I got was that Damian considered this move to be a success despite some issues with survivorship.
Yes, agreed it is a very anthropomorphic use of language.
I'm about 99 % sure that great apes do not have either the theory of mind or cognition to even think abstractly about the issue of "home" and what this constitutes and as an environment this individual has never occupied it obviously means nothing.
I think it is really more a human value judgement that has symbolic and personal value for Damian Aspinall and his supporters.
Yes, I guess you are right about that there are hopefully some positives to this move and lessons (possibly very harsh ones) that can be learned.
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His father used to talk about returning gorillas to their 'ancestral homelands' and I think maybe DA has inherited those sorts of phrases from him.
I do think there is a slight difference in talk of "ancestral homelands" to "going back home" and it is not just semantics.
Whereas some of the gorilla reintroduction project work JAF has been involved with has sure been interesting, sometimes groundbreaking and at times partially successful, I would view not all their endeavours may actually qualify under a international guidelines and protocols by IUCN for a good reintroduction project.
As has happened: Putting some gorillas for ever more on an island in a stream surrounded by a big river sure cannot be considered a viable and full reintroduction of great ape back into the wild. At best, one could qualify that as a form of semi captivity (and the captivity word is which is something DA seems to frown upon, but in reality he is doing it ....).
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Yes, but I think with his father this was seen as being more a distant possibility and perhaps one that he did not expect to happen in his own lifetime or that of his son and perhaps even that of his grandchildren.
Yes, totally agree that there is a semantic difference.
Its quite difficult for me to really define whether it constitutes semi-captivity or not but you are probably right.
Certainly it is not a state of wild in the sense of gorillas roaming huge distances as they would do naturally because of the natural barriers of the river but are these animals being provisioned with food or veterinary care after release ?
Another thing to consider is that reintroduction efforts (globally) in the near future will out of necessity have to opt for interventions which blur the boundaries of captivity and the wild anyway because of the enormity of what is occurring in the anthropocene.
Either way I am not really impressed with the reintroduction of these gorillas and am far more impressed with the community based conservation that the Aspinall Foundation seems to be doing with the golden bamboo lemurs in Madagascar (and on that note why are they not highlighting it more in the media ? !).
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I believe that they are, to some extent anyway.
I'm presuming this latest 'surplus' male (Joshi) was repatriated to Africa as, according to their posts about it, they had younger ones there that he could be teamed up with. His similar-aged half-brother Kifu joined an existing bachelor group in Port Lympne (where there are ten males..) and another similar-aged male from a different group was sent to Monarto Zoo in Australia. So only certain individuals receive this amount of publicity too.
Sending down surplus males is hardly a credible reintroduction planning process other than conveniently off loading a husbandry and zoo management issue. If it was, they would be looking at genetics, group composition and trying to maximize potential and eventual reproductive output. Set up a bachelor male group for all I care but do not sell it on as gorillas going home. It is mere green washing and hogwash.
taun
Well-Known Member
yeah it helps with husbandry but it can inform future reintroduction with more important animals. Might sound incredible harsh but no re-introduction goes to plan, why not work out the best way of doing so with animals that are not required for the captivity gene pool.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Very good point !
As you say reintroductions always run into problems (translocations are generally speaking a much better management strategy) and this is pretty much the case even with rigorous planning and anticipation of difficulty.
A case in point, if you look at literature on the historical reintroduction programmes involving captive bred zoo animals that are frequently cited as having been successful like for example the golden lion tamarin here in Brazil these were initially beset by difficulties.
There were repeated problems with survivorship of reintroduced tamarins and the programme had to be conducted through extensive trial and error and constant tweaking before reintroduction of animals was mastered (if it can indeed be said to have been successfully mastered).
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I suggest great apes do have an idea of my home. And that they act accordingly that mindset. Although that idea or concept is an idea of the bonobo or an idea of the gorilla or an idea of the orang it will differ among these three ones as well it will and be at some points similar to the concept humans do have. Even among humans this idea will differ in a wonderful way.
taun
Well-Known Member
But that wont be in Africa, if they have any concept of home it will be where they we're born and raised (in captivity). This is why it is a silly statement one to pander to animal rights people and those un-educated who will lap it up.
The JAF works in project areas in Gabon and D.R. Congo. A recent news items on the JAF website cites 100 rescued gorillas as well as 70 reintroduced (including 26 zoo bred western lowland gorillas). They have built a rescue facility somewhere on the plateau in Gabon and similar operation exists in D.R. Congo. At least 35 gorillas were born in the rewarded group (I have to find the year / date this all relates to to make some qualified judgements on rate of success).
The Gabon project on the Bateke Plateau started in 1986. With regard to captive-born gorillas used in the project,
I could find references to the following individuals:
The Djala family group is YES / NO been released. There is a real question mark over the status of his group when released in 1 August 2014. This group included adult females Mumba (F, b. 1987), Kishi (F, b. 1988), Tamki (F, b. 1989), Kibi (F., b. 1992), Foufou (F., b. 1992) as well as infants Louna (F, b. 2008) and Akou (F., b April 26, 2011). All the females have reportedly been killed in a fight with a wild male one month after release over the bridge of their semi captive exclosure at the release project site, It seems nobody knows what really transpired, this is more or less what DA himself has suggested did / might have happen(ed). Silverback M Djala is the only survivor from the group and I believe back at the exclosure site. In all Djala's troupe included 11 members including some infants.
LINK:
1) Port Lympne's gorilla Djala returned to Gabon with family
2) Five gorillas raised in Kent wildlife park found dead
In 2017: 1.2 gorillas were released: Rapha (M) with FF Mbwambe and Dikele.
In 2019: 0.2 further gorilla were sent. These were females Mayombe (F., b. 2007) and Kuimba (b. 2010 in Beauval). Kuimba perished in September of the same year (cause of death unknown).
Apparently, silverback M Djongo = already sent there in 2014 - has been released in November 2019.
The other project in Congo is within the Lesio Louna National Park. This project again has seen a mix of wild wild orphaned gorillas released as well as captive-bred individuals sent to the project area.
The captive-bred gorillas sent include:
4.0 silverback gorilla: Kangu (M., b. 1999), Kebu (M., b. 2000), Kouyou (M., b. 2002) and Fubu (M., b. 2003). Transferred to Lesio Louna in October 2017 (and released on an island habitat in 2018).
Another 1.0 gorilla born in Lympne was added in 2021 (M. Joshi, b. 2007). I would assume he was also added to this island habitat.
For ease of reference and for your all information I include a short report on reintroduction of 3 orphaned wild to wild female gorillas to a wild silverback male. Wild to wild releases, even with orphaned ones is an entirely different ball game and likely to be more successful.
LINK: https://643world.com/publications/P...roduced_silverback_Gorilla_Gazette_vol_21.pdf
The Gabon project on the Bateke Plateau started in 1986. With regard to captive-born gorillas used in the project,
I could find references to the following individuals:
The Djala family group is YES / NO been released. There is a real question mark over the status of his group when released in 1 August 2014. This group included adult females Mumba (F, b. 1987), Kishi (F, b. 1988), Tamki (F, b. 1989), Kibi (F., b. 1992), Foufou (F., b. 1992) as well as infants Louna (F, b. 2008) and Akou (F., b April 26, 2011). All the females have reportedly been killed in a fight with a wild male one month after release over the bridge of their semi captive exclosure at the release project site, It seems nobody knows what really transpired, this is more or less what DA himself has suggested did / might have happen(ed). Silverback M Djala is the only survivor from the group and I believe back at the exclosure site. In all Djala's troupe included 11 members including some infants.
LINK:
1) Port Lympne's gorilla Djala returned to Gabon with family
2) Five gorillas raised in Kent wildlife park found dead
In 2017: 1.2 gorillas were released: Rapha (M) with FF Mbwambe and Dikele.
In 2019: 0.2 further gorilla were sent. These were females Mayombe (F., b. 2007) and Kuimba (b. 2010 in Beauval). Kuimba perished in September of the same year (cause of death unknown).
Apparently, silverback M Djongo = already sent there in 2014 - has been released in November 2019.
The other project in Congo is within the Lesio Louna National Park. This project again has seen a mix of wild wild orphaned gorillas released as well as captive-bred individuals sent to the project area.
The captive-bred gorillas sent include:
4.0 silverback gorilla: Kangu (M., b. 1999), Kebu (M., b. 2000), Kouyou (M., b. 2002) and Fubu (M., b. 2003). Transferred to Lesio Louna in October 2017 (and released on an island habitat in 2018).
Another 1.0 gorilla born in Lympne was added in 2021 (M. Joshi, b. 2007). I would assume he was also added to this island habitat.
For ease of reference and for your all information I include a short report on reintroduction of 3 orphaned wild to wild female gorillas to a wild silverback male. Wild to wild releases, even with orphaned ones is an entirely different ball game and likely to be more successful.
LINK: https://643world.com/publications/P...roduced_silverback_Gorilla_Gazette_vol_21.pdf
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Silverback Djala wasn't the only survivor of the 2014 release. His son Djongo & daughters Mbwambe and Louna also survived with him. I think Louna died later but siblings/half siblings Djongo and Mbwambe are still alive, both were later removed to form seperate groups/pairs with other unrelated gorillas as mentioned in your notes. I believe Djala is now alone at the original site.
'Joshi' I think has been united with two younger gorillas. It seems unlikely that he/they will be placed in the same place as the four 2017 males from Port Lympne as they might try to drive them out.
There was also another 'pilot' reintroduction much earlier on involving six young gorillas, a mix if I remember correctly of both Howletts- bred, and wild orphans. Afaik they all died within a few months/years.
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All the individuals you cite I did list in the transcript.
I checked out most of the data with the website on captive gorillas GorrilaLand.Com. Djongho was rist released in 2014 and something happend that made them want to retain him before is second "release" in 2019. According to the site, Djala and group were released in 2014 and Rafa, Mbwambe and Kuimba followed in 2017.
Having had some former direct experience and knowledge of reintroduction planning protocols and process, for me there are several no go areas and show stoppers:
1. Using older range, aged or non-adaptable individual animals and long standing history in captivity are no good candidates for a reintroduction project and stand a slim chance of making it long term.
2. Insufficient training for release candidates and screening for adaptability and versatility prior to any F1/captive-bred individuals rewilding from going ahead,
3. Unbalanced / Inadequate group composition and social structure.
The Djala family release with plenty of older aged individuals and also not the youngest of silverbacks as a family father, a non-native with no experience of the wilds of the Bateke Plateau was not the best available strategy to adopt. It seems to me that mixing wild-to-wild orphaned gorillas with young captive-bred individuals and possibly an older blackback or near silverback wildborn male would stand a better chance of survival in the wild and probably would have maximised the success of this challenging release exercise.
Now, I am not pretending that relintroductions do not proceed without any unfortunate animal losses from occurring, which is an almost inevitable given in these complex projects. However, you can and should but try to minimise the potential risks, reduce to the best of your ability the risks of losing valuable founders within your social units prior to release by continually planning, reviewing progress as you move forward, considering additional risks and eventualities not planned for, review the best outcomes possible and accordingly keep adapting your plans. If it means the entire operation will take much longer before you stand the best chances of succeeding in your rewilding scheme than please do hold back on the releases, save up time, resources and efforts for a little later down the line (and avoid falling into the trap of a sexy media op in favour of the long term vision and success of your operation and ensure best possible outcomes.
I am not entirely sure if with these full captive groups all of the above has been followed through on.
GorillasLand is very good but not entirely accurate, for example their lists of former gorillas held at various zoos are far from complete, with many omissions..
Djongo (son) was part of Djala's group in Port Lympne, hence his release with the rest of the group in 2014. After the mysterious deaths of most of the group he continued to live with Djala for a number of years, just as a pair, before being removed to another site with one or more new companions, presumably in 2019.
Female Mbwambe( and Louna before she died) also continued to live with Djala and Djongo before she was removed(presumably in 2017), to form a new group with male Rafa and baby female Kuimba( both wild orphans.)
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Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
So accordingly a wild great ape will have a concept of home based on the familiar surroundings of their territory and a captive great ape will have a concept of home based on their familiar captive environment ?
Define more how they act differently and how it is similar to a human concept of home as I find what you are saying quite interesting and would like to hear more.
Yes that's true about concepts of home differing greatly with humans and I agree.
The concept of home and what this constitutes will mean something completely different to nomadic hunter gatherers or pastoralists than it does for a permanent settlement in industrial society.
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Female Kuimba did not come from Beauval Zoo then?
This is rather confusing.
Both females(Mayombe & Kuimba) appear to have been born at Beauval. Kiumba is the daughter of Tamarilla(now dead) who came from Howletts. Its possible they were moved by the AF in conjunction with Beauval in an agreement due to past exchanges.STOP PRESS. Mayombe and Djala's son Djongo have just produced a baby ! See Beauval Zoo website for details. It is the first time two captive-born gorillas have produced a baby in the 'wild' (note inverted commas).
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