I was visiting Howletts from the very early days (I went once before even open to the public) so if you have any specific questions about the early groups I may be able to help...just ask or p.m. me.
Australasian Western Lowland Gorilla Population
- Thread starter Zoofan15
- Start date
I was visiting Howletts from the very early days (I went once before even open to the public) so if you have any specific questions about the early groups I may be able to help...just ask or p.m. me.
ApeLadyNZ
Well-Known Member
Thanks for this... she was certainly a remarkable gorilla - she is the paternal grandmother of Orana's Fataki and Fuzu and the famous Shabani, isn't that right?
Yes, that’s right.
That’s correct. Howletts were one of the powerhouses of gorilla breeding in Europe; Apenheul were another.
Apenheul imported a number of wild born gorillas to found their colony, including a male named Bongo (1973); and several females including Mouila (1972) and Mintha (1974). Mouila; Mouila’s daughter (Kriba); and Mintha’s daughter (Frala) joined Kibabu to form a troop in 1988.
To Mouila, Kibabu sired Bauwi, Haako, Shabani, Mbeli and Mahale.
To Kriba, Kibabu sired Joas, Kijivu, Safiri, Kimya and Kipenzi.
To Frala, Kibabu sired Kukuma, Shinda, Anguka, Fataki and Fuzu; and two unnamed offspring.
Gorillas still alive and in the region are in bold.
ApeLadyNZ
Well-Known Member
@marmolady and @Zoofan15 - thanks for that! Baby Doll and Kibabu were certainly remarkable gorillas. I saw in another post that Shabani bears a very strong resemblance to his father, and of course Shabani is world-famous as "the handsome gorilla", so Kibabu must have been a very impressive ape indeed!
@marmolady and @Zoofan15 - thanks for that! Baby Doll and Kibabu were certainly remarkable gorillas. I saw in another post that Shabani bears a very strong resemblance to his father, and of course Shabani is world-famous as "the handsome gorilla", so Kibabu must have been a very impressive ape indeed!
Kibabu was indeed impressive, not just for his looks, but for his leadership of the troop. Some silverbacks exert their dominance through excessive force; while others aren’t assertive enough and the females run amok. Kibabu was the perfect medium, firm but fair.
Kibabu was similarly fortunate to have three well socialised females in his troop. Mouila was his favourite female and was confident and self-assured. Her daughter Kriba was more fractious, but would assume the role of Kibabu’s second in charge during times of perceived threat to the troop. Frala was an outsider to Mouila/Kriba’s mother/daughter dyad, but produced a number of offspring and had a good relationship with Kibabu.
With the above in mind, I imagine Frala is happier in Kibale’s troop. Mouila’s daughter, Mbeli, is the favourite female; but Frala isn’t excluded given there’s no relationship between Mbeli and Johari and the latter ranks lower than Frala in any case.
Osedax
Well-Known Member
In one photo I have seen of him, he looked exactly like my uncle!
Gorilla updates:
Thanks to @Tigergal for sharing the news that 18 month old Kaius has been fully integrated with his parents and grandmother at Mogo Wildlife Park. This should stand him in good stead for learning the appropriate social behaviour of his species.
For those that follow our region’s gorillas living overseas, Kijivu (1993) gave birth to her fifth infant at Prague Zoo this week. Kijivu lived at Taronga Zoo from 1996 to 2001 and is the daughter of Kibabu and Kriba.
Thanks to @Tigergal for sharing the news that 18 month old Kaius has been fully integrated with his parents and grandmother at Mogo Wildlife Park. This should stand him in good stead for learning the appropriate social behaviour of his species.
For those that follow our region’s gorillas living overseas, Kijivu (1993) gave birth to her fifth infant at Prague Zoo this week. Kijivu lived at Taronga Zoo from 1996 to 2001 and is the daughter of Kibabu and Kriba.
ApeLadyNZ
Well-Known Member
That's great news to hear about little Kaius! I've been following his progress on social media, and it's good to see he'll be learning proper gorilla behaviour soon!
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
Why do so many western lowland gorillas in Australia have East African names? (Not all obviously )
)
Why do so many western lowland gorillas in Australia have East African names? (Not all obviously
Historically, Taronga has been the main breeder of gorillas in the region, producing 10 infants to survive infancy. They’ve usually chosen Swahili names.
While Swahili is the official national language of Kenya and Tanzania, it’s also spoken in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic (both of which are in the range of the Western lowland gorilla).
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
Swahili is only really spoken in the far east of both DRC and CAR, whereas WLG's natural distribution doesn't actually cross over with Swahili speaking parts of either.
I don't know the percentage of CAR speakers, but DRC has less than 10% speak Swahili, and its status as an official language only really comes down to their membership of the East African Community.
Swahili is nearly spoken in the territories of Mountain Gorillas and Grauer's/ Eastern lowland gorillas (which funnily also lIve at altitude
)I love Swahili names and had a hunch it came down to a tradition, but I do think the choice not particularly appropriate. Especially as it would free up more names for other plains based species.
I do quite enjoy that most names, even if not Swahili tend to start with K
Swahili is only really spoken in the far east of both DRC and CAR, whereas WLG's natural distribution doesn't actually cross over with Swahili speaking parts of either.
I don't know the percentage of CAR speakers, but DRC has less than 10% speak Swahili, and its status as an official language only really comes down to their membership of the East African Community.
Swahili is nearly spoken in the territories of Mountain Gorillas and Grauer's/ Eastern lowland gorillas (which funnily also lIve at altitude
I love Swahili names and had a hunch it came down to a tradition, but I do think the choice not particularly appropriate. Especially as it would free up more names for other plains based species.
I do quite enjoy that most names, even if not Swahili tend to start with K
Yes, K names are indeed popular across multiple African languages - as well as A, J, M, S and Z names.
I really like Taronga’s decades old tradition (presumably inspired by Jane Goodall) of naming infants with their mother’s initial:
Kibabu’s troop:
Mouila - Mbeli and Mahale
Kriba - Kimya and Kipenzi
Frala - Fataki and Fuzu
Kibale’s troop:
Mbeli - Mjukuu and Mwamba
Frala - Fataki and Fikiri
Orana update:
An update that Fataki and Fuzu have been successfully reintegrated, following reports they’d been separated. Both males looked relaxed in each other’s company and were browsing leaves in one of the indoor rooms on my visit. They were very popular with the visitors, who were in awe of Fataki, who came right up to the glass; while Fuzu sat on a platform towards the back of the room.
A pair of Siamang currently occupy the second paddock, so it appears there will be no additional imports at this stage.
Photos from my visit of Orana’s Great Ape Centre can be found here:
Orana Wildlife Park - ZooChat
An update that Fataki and Fuzu have been successfully reintegrated, following reports they’d been separated. Both males looked relaxed in each other’s company and were browsing leaves in one of the indoor rooms on my visit. They were very popular with the visitors, who were in awe of Fataki, who came right up to the glass; while Fuzu sat on a platform towards the back of the room.
A pair of Siamang currently occupy the second paddock, so it appears there will be no additional imports at this stage.
Photos from my visit of Orana’s Great Ape Centre can be found here:
Orana Wildlife Park - ZooChat
ApeLadyNZ
Well-Known Member
That is very encouraging news! It's great to see the brothers getting along again. Fataki at the window is certainly an imposing sight; one of my favourite memories is of a 2018 visit to Orana and having my photo taken while sitting on a ledge when Fataki had come right up to me!
While it's disappointing that there will be no further great ape imports, it's understandable given the current financial state of Orana. And as a future breeding pair, the siamang gibbons, female Basuki and male Suka, will make good use of the second area.
While it's disappointing that there will be no further great ape imports, it's understandable given the current financial state of Orana. And as a future breeding pair, the siamang gibbons, female Basuki and male Suka, will make good use of the second area.
That is very encouraging news! It's great to see the brothers getting along again. Fataki at the window is certainly an imposing sight; one of my favourite memories is of a 2018 visit to Orana and having my photo taken while sitting on a ledge when Fataki had come right up to me!
While it's disappointing that there will be no further great ape imports, it's understandable given the current financial state of Orana. And as a future breeding pair, the siamang gibbons, female Basuki and male Suka, will make good use of the second area.
I was really impressed with Orana’s Great Ape Centre. There’s no doubt it’d be better utilised by a larger number of gorillas; but assuming the second half will remain home to the breeding pair of Siamang for now, then we can expect the bachelor troop to remain as it is for the foreseeable.
With Adelaide no longer taking on gorillas and Taronga’s intentions unclear, the best outcome we can hope for is Taronga’s adolescent males to go to Sydney Zoo.
I wonder if we will see taronga send spare males over to orana. Im not sure with gorillas but with other species having two is a difficult number to keep. Due to one being dominant and the non dominant taking all the attention/agression. I wonder if they integrate more younger males in with them whether it would spread out any aggression and great a more settled social setting.
Ultimately it will depend on Orana’s future plans for the complex. Over the years they’ve had plans to house orangutans and a breeding gorilla troop in the other half. The unfortunate death of Mahali does indeed reduce their troop to two and I note bachelor troops within the region and overseas typically contain three or more members. There’s also been speculation Taronga’s adolescent males could go to Sydney Zoo, which I don’t know whether that will eventuate.
Though I imagine a bachelor troop is their short term designation, I will note that Fabumi is relatively valuable genetically. His father is a genetically valuable male; and Frala’s own mother (a founder) has significantly less representation than her peers. In the event a successful merging of these males with the Orana males were to occur, perhaps Fabumi would leave in 5-10 years to head up a breeding troop.
It could also give Orana time to sort out there holdings and a breeding male to utilise. With Fabumi being valuable, and Europe sitting at a point where the population is at a stale mate. Sourcing females would be relatively easy then if they were in short supply. If they had him in the bachelor troop, in 5 to 10 years they may be ready to start a breeding troop. He will have another 5 to 10 years of maturation under his belt as well. It could be a worth while long term plan for them.
It’s definitely a possibility. If Fataki and Fuzu were joined by the three adolescent males from Taronga, who were able to be successfully integrated with them; then when it came time for Fabumi to transfer out, he would be leaving behind a troop of four, which is a stable number going forward.
If Orana were to manage a breeding troop alongside a bachelor troop, then it’s likely any additional males produced would be going to Australia; but they’d surely have peers bred in Australian zoos by then. I’d like to see Melbourne expand their gorilla holdings long term, though am unaware of any intentions to do so. Sydney Zoo remain a possible holder; and if we’re being hopeful/ambitious, Monarto!