Australasian Baboon Population - Research and Discussion

[Zoofan15]

Australasian Baboon Population - Research and Discussion

Introduction:

I’m currently working on a population thread for the Australasian population of Hamadryas baboon. When posted, the population thread will be a place to update with births, deaths and transfers; while this will remain a thread for research and discussion.

There are nine holders in Australasia: Auckland Zoo, Adelaide Zoo, Banana Cabana, Crocodylus Park, Darling Downs Zoo, Melbourne Zoo, Perth Zoo, Sydney Zoo and Wildlife HQ. I currently have about 50% of the data I need to create a population list.

Needless to say, neither thread will detail the legions of the baboons held in private research facilities.

 

[Zoofan15]

Schedule

Phase One - Research Current Population:

I will post what information I have for each zoo - in some cases grouping multiple zoos together if there’s not sufficient information to warrant their own posts. In that same post, I will list what information I still need - which is an invitation to others to submit any information they may have on that particular zoo.

Please only submit information for zoos that I have posted/requested information for; and follow the “Don’t tell me your plans, show me your results” rule. For example, don’t post that you’re off to Crocodylus Park next week and will try and ask about their baboons. Go to Crocodylus Park, ask about their baboons and then tell us what you found out - the same applies to emailing zoos etc.

Phase Two - Current Population List Posted:

Once sufficient data has been gathered (a minimum of 70-80% of the population), I will post a population thread for the Hamadryas baboon. A target date of December 2022 will be set for this.

Phase Three - Research Historical Population:

This phase will follow a similar format to the first phase, where I will post what historical information I have for each zoo and then invite submissions from others.

This phase will include an opportunity to research the Chacma baboon population of the region, which is why this thread has “baboon” in the title, not “Hamadryas baboon.”

 

[Zoofan15]

Phase One - Research Current Population: Auckland Zoo

Auckland Zoo has 5.6 Hamadryas baboon:

From Adelaide Zoo (2009):

1.0 Afar (born 10/08/2005 at Adelaide Zoo) Jarmah x Gina
1.0 Wasaro (born 09/10/2005 at Adelaide Zoo) Jarmah x Gen

From Wellington Zoo (2009):

0.1 Ayisha (born 04/09/2001 at Wellington Zoo) Unknown* x Zara
0.1 Kito (born 21/05/2002 at Wellington Zoo) Unknown* x Greet

Born at Auckland Zoo:

1.0 Yafeu (born July 2009) Unknown x Ayisha
0.1 Naeemah (born July 2011) Unknown x Kito
1.0 Badi (born December 2012) Unknown x Kito
0.1 Zala (born October 2013) Unknown x Ayisha
0.1 Mali (born March 2015) Unknown x Ayisha
0.1 Iniko (born September 2020) Yafeu x Mali
1.0 Unnamed (born June 2022) Badi x Mali

*Potential Sires = Pharaoh, Ramses and Albert

Information required:

Please comment if you know the following:

- The full date of birth of the seven surviving baboon infants born at Auckland Zoo (I just have month and year)

- Paternity of Naeemah, Badi, Zala and Mali (I have a comment that Afar has sired several infants at Auckland Zoo, which implies he’s the sire of most of these, but I don’t have confirmation)

 

[Zoofan15]

Phase One - Research Current Population: Adelaide Zoo

Adelaide Zoo has 2.3.1 Hamadryas baboon:

Born at Adelaide Zoo:

0.1 Chappi (25/03/2003) Jarmah x Gina
1.0 Tomkay (19/12/2014) Horus x Chappi
1.0 Djibouti (27/10/2016) Horus x Chappi
0.0.1 Unnamed (00/07/2022) Tomkay? x Quasi?

From Melbourne Zoo:

0.1 Quasi (13/08/2017) Jabari x Qetesh
0.1 Mahali (11/02/2018) Jabari x Macey

Information required:

Please comment if you know the following:

Details of the infant born July 2022 - name, gender and parentage. Given females of this species typically give birth for the first time at age five, Quasi is likely the mother; and Tomkay is likely the father (depending on whether Quasi is in his harem), but these remain assumptions, not confirmed facts.

 

[Zoofan15]

Phase One - Research Current Population: Perth Zoo

Perth Zoo has 1.2 Hamadryas baboon:

From Emmens Zoo (via Melbourne Zoo and Adelaide Zoo):

0.1 Grimus (23/11/1996) Grijs x Gina

From Melbourne Zoo:

0.1 Guni (11/01/1999) Grijs x Gitta

Born at Perth Zoo:

1.0 Chad (28/04/2005) James x Guni

Information required:

None! As you can see, I have complete records for Perth’s troop.

Stay turned for the next post (Melbourne Zoo).

 

[Jambo]

Phase One - Research Current Population: Perth Zoo

Perth Zoo has 1.2 Hamadryas baboon:

From Emmens Zoo (via Melbourne Zoo and Adelaide Zoo):

0.1 Grimus (23/11/1996) Grijs x Gina

From Melbourne Zoo:

0.1 Guni (11/01/1999) Grijs x Gitta

Born at Perth Zoo:

1.0 Chad (28/04/2005) James x Guni

Information required:

None! As you can see, I have complete records for Perth’s troop.

Stay turned for the next post (Melbourne Zoo).

I’m assuming Gina was the same Gina who was later at Adelaide (and has descendants at Auckland)?

 

[Zoofan15]

I’m assuming Gina was the same Gina who was later at Adelaide (and has descendants at Auckland)?

Yes, as per above, Gina who died at Adelaide Zoo was the mother of Grimus (1996), who lives at Perth Zoo; Chappi (2003), who lives at Adelaide Zoo; and Afar (2005), who lives at Auckland Zoo. But more of about historical baboons to come in Phase Three.

 

[Zoofan15]

Phase One - Research Current Population: Melbourne Zoo

Melbourne Zoo has 5.10 Hamadryas baboon:

From Prospect Park Zoo:

1.0 Jabari (23/07/2010) Bole x Kaia
1.0 Azizi (28/07/2010) Bole x Rebecca

From Wellington Zoo (via Adelaide Zoo):

0.1 Macey (13/03/2004) Rameses x Beth

From Wellington Zoo:

0.1 Qetesh (2010) Unknown x Unknown

Born at Melbourne Zoo:

1.0 Melako (20/05/2017) Jabari x Macey
1.0 Quimby (2018) Unknown x Qetesh
1.0 Quill (00/05/2019) Unknown x Qetesh

0.1 Huddo (1999) Grijs? x Unknown
0.1 Juju (00/05/2015) Jabari x Huddo
0.1 Gana (13/12/2017) Unknown x Grace
0.1 Hudson (2018) Unknown x Huddo
0.1 Makali (00/05/2019) Unknown x Macey
0.1 Quilton (10/03/2020) Unknown x Qetesh
0.1 Muna (2020) Unknown x Macey
0.1 Mei (2021) Unknown x Macey

Information required:

Full date of birth for any baboon where only the month and/or year are listed.

Confirmation of parentage of those listed as unknown. Note, I’m only interested in confirmation (not assumptions). Jabari is only confirmed as the sire of two of these infants via media reports and while it’s likely he sired most of the others, that remains an assumption at this point in time so has been left as unknown.

 

[Abbey]

Phase One - Research Current Population: Melbourne Zoo

Melbourne Zoo has 5.10 Hamadryas baboon:

From Prospect Park Zoo:

1.0 Jabari (23/07/2010) Bole x Kaia
1.0 Azizi (28/07/2010) Bole x Rebecca

From Wellington Zoo (via Adelaide Zoo):

0.1 Macey (13/03/2004) Rameses x Beth

From Wellington Zoo:

0.1 Qetesh (2010) Unknown x Unknown

Born at Melbourne Zoo:

1.0 Melako (20/05/2017) Jabari x Macey
1.0 Quimby (2018) Unknown x Qetesh
1.0 Quill (00/05/2019) Unknown x Qetesh

0.1 Huddo (1999) Grijs? x Unknown
0.1 Juju (00/05/2015) Jabari x Huddo
0.1 Gana (13/12/2017) Unknown x Grace
0.1 Hudson (2018) Unknown x Huddo
0.1 Makali (00/05/2019) Unknown x Macey
0.1 Quilton (10/03/2020) Unknown x Qetesh
0.1 Muna (2020) Unknown x Macey
0.1 Mei (2021) Unknown x Macey

Information required:

Full date of birth for any baboon where only the month and/or year are listed.

Confirmation of parentage of those listed as unknown. Note, I’m only interested in confirmation (not assumptions). Jabari is only confirmed as the sire of two of these infants via media reports and while it’s likely he sired most of the others, that remains an assumption at this point in time so has been left as unknown.

The Mega Zoo episode covering Qetesh and Quilton's health check (Episode 10) confirmed that Jabari is the sire of Quilton.

 

[Zoofan15]

The Mega Zoo episode covering Qetesh and Quilton's health check (Episode 10) confirmed that Jabari is the sire of Quilton.

Thank you @Abbey. When I post the baboon population thread, I’ll update the above list with Jabari listed as the sire of Juju, Melako and Quilton.

While Jabari is likely the sire of most if not all of the other infants, there was noted to be confusion by staff over whether he or Azizi sired Gana and indeed females can swap between harems - so unless I receive confirmation to say otherwise, they’ll remain sire unknown/multiple.

 

[Zorro]

I am just wondering if the numbers listed are available in the private research facilities?

 

[Zoofan15]

I am just wondering if the numbers listed are available in the private research facilities?

Unfortunately not. Due to the interest it’d attract from animal rights groups, there’s no publicly available information on the number of baboons held at the Australian National Baboon Colony. The Department of Primary Industries aren’t supplied with this data either but have advised they’re allowed to hold up to 165 baboons on site.

Consequently, the Australasian Hamadryas Baboon Population List will concern itself only with those baboons held in Australasian zoos and wildlife parks.

 

[Swanson02]

Unfortunately not. Due to the interest it’d attract from animal rights groups, there’s no publicly available information on the number of baboons held at the Australian National Baboon Colony. The Department of Primary Industries aren’t supplied with this data either but have advised they’re allowed to hold up to 165 baboons on site.

Consequently, the Australasian Hamadryas Baboon Population List will concern itself only with those baboons held in Australasian zoos and wildlife parks.

Wow, so there are likely way more animals in private research, than in zoos. Would zoos ever in the future exchange animals with these facilities to mutually freshen up the bloodlines? Or would conducting business with organizations that test on animals be too dangerous from an AR perspective?

 

[tetrapod]

Do we know anything about the lab baboon colony in regard to origin, number of founders and breeding? It would be important to know how inbred animals were and any relatedness to the zoo population. Appreciate info coming out would be limited. Same would apply to macaques, common marmosets (which I know seeded the zoo population) and douroucouli.

 

[Zoofan15]

Wow, so there are likely way more animals in private research, than in zoos. Would zoos ever in the future exchange animals with these facilities to mutually freshen up the bloodlines? Or would conducting business with organizations that test on animals be too dangerous from an AR perspective?

While I can guarantee no accredited zoo would risk the PR implications that would come from sending animals to a testing facility, it’s difficult to say if they’d accept donations of baboons from the testing colony.

They’re housed in natural troops, so wouldn’t be as socially maladjusted as you’d expect - with their accomodation being comparable to the cages of our region’s zoos throughout the late 20th Century.

Do we know anything about the lab baboon colony in regard to origin, number of founders and breeding? It would be important to know how inbred animals were and any relatedness to the zoo population. Appreciate info coming out would be limited. Same would apply to macaques, common marmosets (which I know seeded the zoo population) and douroucouli.

Unfortunately, there’s little information online - even with regards to current numbers, though I’d estimate a population in the early 100’s. They do undertake population control. A male recently escaped while being transferred to a vet clinic for a vasectomy.

In the past, laboratories like these have imported macaques from Asia in the hundreds, so the founder base could be large. That said, I’m not aware of any mass baboon imports, so I’d say it’s more likely they received a small numbers of founders from our region’s zoos in the 20th Century and bred these to form the colony they had to day.

Contraception of this species in zoos wasn’t widely implemented until the 1990’s and as recently as the 1980’s, zoos were sending their baboons to circuses etc. Since the alternative to dealing with stock that couldn’t be placed was euthanasia, sending them to a laboratory wasn’t beyond the realms.

 

[Zoofan15]

Phase One - Research Current Population: Sydney Zoo

Sydney Zoo has 9.9.1 Hamadryas baboon:

From Singapore Zoo:

1.0 Babi
1.0 Nyambi
1.0 Shezmu
1.0 Azizi
1.0 Bennu
0.1 Izara
0.1 Aida
0.1 Anta
0.1 Kasmut
0.1 Zuri
1.0 Apophis

Born at Sydney Zoo:

0.1 Aza (2020) Unknown x Kasmut?
0.1 Johari (2020) Unknown x Izara?
0.1 Nyota (2020) Unknown x Zuri?
1.0 Ramses (2021)
1.0 Seti (2021)
1.0 Deshr (2022)
0.1 Zeinab (2022)
0.0.1 Unnamed (2022)

Sydney Zoo imported 8.5 baboons from Singapore Zoo in 2019.

I’m assuming the list given to me lists the baboons in order of age, which means the first eleven baboons were the Singapore imports and the remaining eight were Sydney bred. This is supported by an article detailing Aza, Johari and Nyota were born to mothers Kasmut, Izara and Zuri in 2020; with no mention of older infants in the troop,

Typical birth intervals imply the three infants born 2022 were born to the three mothers who gave birth in 2020; with the other two imported females breeding in the interim (2021) - however since the birth interval in this species can be as short as 14 months, this remains an assumption.

Information required:

Parentage and full date of birth for Sydney born infants.

Full date of birth or birth year for Singapore imports.

 

[steveroberts]

Unfortunately not. Due to the interest it’d attract from animal rights groups, there’s no publicly available information on the number of baboons held at the Australian National Baboon Colony. The Department of Primary Industries aren’t supplied with this data either but have advised they’re allowed to hold up to 165 baboons on site.

Consequently, the Australasian Hamadryas Baboon Population List will concern itself only with those baboons held in Australasian zoos and wildlife parks.

Great work brother, really interesting read.
Went to the National Baboon Colony at Wallacia for a TAFE field trip in 2011..there was over a hundred Hamadryas there at the time by my counting (it's right next door to Zambi/old Bullens property).

 

[Zoofan15]

Great work brother, really interesting read.
Went to the National Baboon Colony at Wallacia for a TAFE field trip in 2011..there was over a hundred Hamadryas there at the time by my counting (it's right next door to Zambi/old Bullens property).

That would have been fascinating to see. What was the largest grouping you observed? Did they say where they sourced them from? I believe the circuses mostly held Chacma baboon, so I’m guessing zoos were their primary source; unless Bullens held them.

 

[steveroberts]

@Zoofan15

A great question I wish I could answer with more detail but because the setup of metal barred pens were all conjoined and seemed to have lever doors for when moving them/separating individuals was necessary it was hard to determine where one group's limits were on the visit. I think despite the fact that Hamadryases can have enormous numbered troops they were largely divided into troops of about 10 individuals. I remember seeing a lot of troops with only one adult male. Perhaps there was one troop of twenty individuals.

A quick look on google earth shows the main complex of their living areas combined in entirety to be about 1,500-1,600 sq m (60m x 26/27m) but that's obviously divided up into multiple pens.

-33.869563, 150.674377
(Google Maps)

I'm unsure as to whether Bullens ever kept Hamadryases but would not surprise me if they did. Did not know that Chacmas were popular with circuses. Possible they held individuals from both species at different times (apparently the notorious privately owned Notre Dame Zoo at Mulgoa near Fernhill Estate had Allen's Swamp Monkeys and De Brazzas Guenons besides an array of big cats, marsupials, hoofstock etc until they were shut down in '96/'97).

 

[Pertinax]

I believe the circuses mostly held Chacma baboon.

Chacmas seem very rare in Zoos nowadays. A quick look at Zootierliste shows none in Europe, I'm not sure about the USA. I've only ever seen them once afaik- in the 1960's- a small group at Munich Zoo in Germany.