DierenPark Amersfoort DierenPark Amersfoort News 2025

Yunha

Yunha

Well-Known Member
Yesterday, Indian Rhinos Tican and Tarun arrived from Zoo Basel. The two young males will stay in Amersfoort to grow up to adults. Two weeks ago, there was maintenance being done on the enclosure to prepare for their arrival.

The new chimpansee enclosure is MAGNIFICENT. There's way more possibilities for the chimps to move around in a natural way, for them to hide out a bit, and their outdoor exclosure is incomperable to what these chimps had before. The outdoor exclosure is big and netted. You as a visitor walk around the enclosure while visiting different "research stops" which educates the visitor of the threats posed to wild chimps and more about the individuals in the zoo. I took tons of pictures, I'll hope to sort the rubbish out tomorrow and post the good ones in the photo album here. :)

A voulenteer was in the inside enclosure when we were there too, and she told us research students have noticed an increase in healthy, natural behaviours after the chimp's move to the new enclosure. Malaika most noticably has gained a more healthy physique, if I recall correctly gaining more muscle from moving around more. Even though it was freezing the day we were out, two chimps were happily exploring the outdoor enclosure (even though they had the choice to be inside or out).

Something odd we noticed on our visit 2 weeks ago was that we were missing two of the giraffes. As far as I know, Amersfoort keeps a group of young males until they are fit to move on to other zoos to become breeding males. There were four of them when we visited in 2024, but even though the giraffes seemed to be in the stables we (and other visitors) could only spot two. I'm not sure of the behind-the-scenes possibilities in the stables, but most noticebly we were missing the smaller giraffe, which during keeper presentations was noted as having growth issues. So if anyone has any info I missed out, I'd be grateful if you'd share it. :)
 
Yunha said:
Something odd we noticed on our visit 2 weeks ago was that we were missing two of the giraffes. As far as I know, Amersfoort keeps a group of young males until they are fit to move on to other zoos to become breeding males. There were four of them when we visited in 2024, but even though the giraffes seemed to be in the stables we (and other visitors) could only spot two. I'm not sure of the behind-the-scenes possibilities in the stables, but most noticebly we were missing the smaller giraffe, which during keeper presentations was noted as having growth issues. So if anyone has any info I missed out, I'd be grateful if you'd share it. :)
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A visitor also mentioned seeing only two giraffes in a DierenPark Amersfoort Facebook group late last year. Upon enquiry, they were told that two giraffes had died in a short time. So there are indeed two giraffes left.
 
MennoPebesma said:
A visitor also mentioned seeing only two giraffes in a DierenPark Amersfoort Facebook group late last year. Upon enquiry, they were told that two giraffes had died in a short time. So there are indeed two giraffes left.
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Which individual giraffes are left now?
 
MennoPebesma said:
A visitor also mentioned seeing only two giraffes in a DierenPark Amersfoort Facebook group late last year. Upon enquiry, they were told that two giraffes had died in a short time. So there are indeed two giraffes left.
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Oh that's very sad to hear. Thanks for sharing though. I love Amersfoort, but it bugs me a little bit they don't share the same information about each species. Of course, more deaths after Yindi would have looked rather bad, but I also liked visiting the giraffes a lot :(

Kifaru Bwana said:
Which individual giraffes are left now?
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I'll try and take some good pictures of the individuals left next time, perhaps we can find out if no one knows for sure. I'm very sure the smallest one is no longer there.
 
Which chimpanzee individueel are presently kept at Amersfoort Zoo?
(sex, age, names ... perhaps?).

They have 2-3 new youngsters ..., but all are hybrids ... I believe (a bit of an accidental mess). Are there any purebred chimpanzee in the group at present (both adult males are hybrids ... and were thought to have been on birth control or may have been operated upon?

BTW: It was announced quite recently in a video that they were looking at sourcing a new male!
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Which individual giraffes are left now?
Click to expand...
As DierenPark Amersfoort itself has not announced anything, I am not sure. But when I compare recent photos of the giraffes taken by visitors with photos of the giraffes shared by the zoo when they arrived in Amersfoort, it seems that the two giraffes still present are Melman and Morty.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Which chimpanzee individueel are presently kept at Amersfoort Zoo?
(sex, age, names ... perhaps?).

They have 2-3 new youngsters ..., but all are hybrids ... I believe (a bit of an accidental mess). Are there any purebred chimpanzee in the group at present (both adult males are hybrids ... and were thought to have been on birth control or may have been operated upon?

BTW: It was announced quite recently in a video that they were looking at sourcing a new male!
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1,0 Kumi (26-05-2001, Amersfoort) (hybrid)
1,0 Wingu (30-08-2009, Amersfoort) (hybrid)
1,0 Obi (04-10-2023, Amersfoort) (hybrid)
1,0 Madu (19-05-2024, Amersfoort) (hybrid)
0,1 Willy (15-12-1991, Amersfoort) (P. t. verus)
0,1 Bibi (10-04-1996, Amersfoort) (hybrid)
0,1 Chura (05-07-1997, Amersfoort) (hybrid)
0,1 Mahale (10-03-2004, Bremerhaven) (P. t. verus)
0,1 Malaika (23-02-2019, Amersfoort) (hybrid)

Kumi is the father of both youngsters. Both males have been sterilised, but with Kumi it appears that this did not go completely well. They also said that since both youngsters are still fairly young, a new male cannot be introduced right away.
 
MennoPebesma said:
1,0 Kumi (26-05-2001, Amersfoort) (hybrid)
1,0 Wingu (30-08-2009, Amersfoort) (hybrid)
1,0 Obi (04-10-2023, Amersfoort) (hybrid)
1,0 Madu (19-05-2024, Amersfoort) (hybrid)
0,1 Willy (15-12-1991, Amersfoort) (P. t. verus)
0,1 Bibi (10-04-1996, Amersfoort) (hybrid)
0,1 Chura (05-07-1997, Amersfoort) (hybrid)
0,1 Mahale (10-03-2004, Bremerhaven) (P. t. verus)
0,1 Malaika (23-02-2019, Amersfoort) (hybrid)

Kumi is the father of both youngsters. Both males have been sterilised, but with Kumi it appears that this did not go completely well. They also said that since both youngsters are still fairly young, a new male cannot be introduced right away.
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Thanks for your information: I had always thought that Dierenpark Amersfoort had a predominantly pure-bred breeding group. Yet how wrong my impression had been!

It is somewhat disheartening to learn the majority of the current group are hybrids. The non-breeding policy within the Chimpanzee EEP seems to have flunked twice, once post 2000 and a second time around in 2023/2024). The new hybrids will be around for yonker years and keeping the group in this setup over a long timeframe just turned out to be a big error of judgement.

Both pure-bred West African females are not getting any younger and do need a pure-bred West African male to join them ... preferably ASAP. I really would advocate to remove all the hybrid males from the current group right now. Kick-start fresh in the new exhibit with a younger set / coalition of West African chimpanzee males.

There really is no point in holding on to an almost completely hybrid group that from the new exhibit forward will remain dead end management for more than half the group. That the male Kumi being nipped turned out to be a failure ..., I wonder ... did they not opt for full vasectomy. Surprised also that it looks like not all the hybrid females were sterilised???? (or am I barking up the wrong tree here?)!!!
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Both pure-bred West African females are not getting any younger and do need a pure-bred West African male to join them ... preferably ASAP. I really would advocate to remove all the hybrid males from the current group right now. Kick-start fresh in the new exhibit with a younger set / coalition of West African chimpanzee males.

There really is no point in holding on to an almost completely hybrid group that from the new exhibit forward will remain dead end management for more than half the group. That the male Kumi being nipped turned out to be a failure ..., I wonder ... did they not opt for full vasectomy. Surprised also that it looks like not all the hybrid females were sterilised???? (or am I barking up the wrong tree here?)!!!
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On the topic of vasectomies: I noticed a different nuance in communication about Obi's birth. In the AD article a zoo press worker says both Kumi and Wingu are sterilised [source] whereas a keeper says on Amersfoorts website the males are receiving contraceptives [source] Either way an accident can happen. Madu's birth however is going to have big consequenses for a new male arriving "in the beginning of 2025" as planned [source], if his purpose is to breed with Mahale.

I think this breeding accident puts Amersfoort into muddy ethical waters though... What you're suggesting about taking action right now is a life or death decision for the current young chimps. I think fully seperating the hybrid males in Amersfoort is not possible at this point. There are options to seperate individuals in the indoor housing, but I don't think enough options to keep two seperate groups.

If the conservation of the species Pan troglodytes verus is the highest priority on account of the EEP, perhaps an option could also be to move Willy and / or Mahale to a different group with (a) suitable mate(s). Either way, any decision on Mahale's place of residence will be literally vital to Madu. I don't think the studbook keeper will suggest moving Mahale until Madu can survive on his own, considering there's lots of debate going on about surplus animals, let alone cute baby ones...

Result of this contraceptive slip-up are huge consequences for Pan troglodytes verus as a species and for some individuals in this group... It probably shouldn't have happened like this, but in the current situation where it DID happen and the fact that zoo visitors / the general public / media find surplus animals and their whereabouts uncomfortable, I think the expected new male will go elsewhere and only Willy might move on a shorter term. I bet quite some people are having headaches over this situation...
 
Yunha said:
On the topic of vasectomies: I noticed a different nuance in communication about Obi's birth. In the AD article a zoo press worker says both Kumi and Wingu are sterilised [source] whereas a keeper says on Amersfoorts website the males are receiving contraceptives [source] Either way an accident can happen. Madu's birth however is going to have big consequenses for a new male arriving "in the beginning of 2025" as planned [source], if his purpose is to breed with Mahale.

I think this breeding accident puts Amersfoort into muddy ethical waters though... What you're suggesting about taking action right now is a life or death decision for the current young chimps. I think fully seperating the hybrid males in Amersfoort is not possible at this point. There are options to seperate individuals in the indoor housing, but I don't think enough options to keep two seperate groups.

If the conservation of the species Pan troglodytes verus is the highest priority on account of the EEP, perhaps an option could also be to move Willy and / or Mahale to a different group with (a) suitable mate(s). Either way, any decision on Mahale's place of residence will be literally vital to Madu. I don't think the studbook keeper will suggest moving Mahale until Madu can survive on his own, considering there's lots of debate going on about surplus animals, let alone cute baby ones...

Result of this contraceptive slip-up are huge consequences for Pan troglodytes verus as a species and for some individuals in this group... It probably shouldn't have happened like this, but in the current situation where it DID happen and the fact that zoo visitors / the general public / media find surplus animals and their whereabouts uncomfortable, I think the expected new male will go elsewhere and only Willy might move on a shorter term. I bet quite some people are having headaches over this situation...
Click to expand...
If the chimp males received contraceptives ... (as per second statement???) that definitely is an own goal (and twice at that given that around 2009 another accidental birth .. took place) and a bad choice which could have been prevented quite easily as after 2010-11 the EEP advised to take action on all the hybrid chimps.
 
Small Amersfoort news from my visit yesterday:

- The new rhino brothers got to explore their outside enclosure for the first time. It was a fun experience we witnessed. After a big buff "look at us" runaround the borders of the enclosure, both lads found the experience a bit scary and stood in the door opening for a good while. After waiting quite a while, one decided to take a few steps out, but he then went back in.

- I took pictures of the giraffes that are left in the park and uploaded them in the gallery.
 
Yunha said:
- I took pictures of the giraffes that are left in the park and uploaded them in the gallery.
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They had four giraffes. Three Rothschild's/Nubian named Kurt, Melman and Morty. And one Reticulated named Mtandao.

Both giraffes in the pictures are Rothschild's/Nubian so neither is Mtandao.

Here is a video of Melman and Morty's arrival: Facebook DierenPark Amersfoort

Comparing your photos with Melman and Morty in the video, I would say they are the two remaining giraffes in Amersfoort.
 
That's quite the dedication MennoPebesma, to scroll down Facebook so far. :)
I dug out Ye Olde External Harddrive with the <2018 pictures, but I found nothing helpful there.
Thanks for digging out this video!

(Psssst, DierenPark Amersfoort keepers, if you're lurking here, we're also interested in updates on the animals that aren't the general public favourites ;))
 
I've been to Amersfoort today. I realy liked the Chimpanzee valley...

There were a lot of empty exhibits...Former Chimpanzee, lynx, sable antilope and one other in the middle of the which i couldn't remember.
The row of aviaries was also looking sad...I couldn't even find the former cassowary exhibit
Snavelrijk was no longer a walkthrough exhibit

Anybody know any plans for these exhibits ?
 
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