Gorilla Vizazi has a leg in a cast. During Ayo's introduction, she did not behave as expected. Hopefully she will recover well, because Thandie is still not walking properly on the leg that was in a cast.
ZOO Antwerpen Zoo Antwerpen News 2025
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What species or subspecies of ostrich are the 0.2 immigrants?
Somehow, I think the bad vibe continues at Zoo Antwerpen with the gorilla troupe! How has it been possible that 2 gorilla youngsters have come back with a broken or damaged critical limb? What are the husbandry and exclosure conditions like?
The ostriches on ZTL are listed as common ostrich, non-subspecies specific.
With regards to the gorillas, what happened with Thandie was a very unfortunate accident, I'm not sure they know for sure how it occurred. It is a matter of really bad luck that what happened to Vizazi occurred so quickly after due to this introduction taking place now. One could perhaps question the timing of the introduction, but I assume the EEP coordinators and Antwerp Zoo did look into that.
I think we have to assume that the exhibit in Antwerp is constructed and furnished to current industry and legal standards, also given that the climbing structures have been pretty recently redone. You can make things as safe as possible, but not exclude accidents completely. Antwerp's gorilla exhibit is perhaps not the greatest, but not bad either, and assuming that they are doing something wrong here seems a bit farfetched to me. I do hope that they will do some looking into the possible causes for these accidents and make changes if needed.
It would be interesting to know exactly in what part of the exhibit Ayo's attack on Vizazi occurred - because I do wonder if the structure of the exhibit at Antwerp did play a role there in possibly keeping Vizazi from getting away quickly enough. But introductions are known to sometimes lead to accidents that are not always preventable. By the way, the article I read suggests Vizazi did not sustain fractures in the knee but has a cast due to muscles being stitched up and having to be immobilized for a few weeks. Hopefully that will make some difference in healing. Hopefully Vizazi soon makes a good if not full recovery.
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@Kevin, I am well aware relating to current developments with gorilla management in Europe (hell my hometown zoo is current species coordinator ... even.) and - mind you - I am NOT in accusative mode here.
The Zoo Antwerpen facility structurally has not evolved much since it was first properly build, give or take a few overhauls and revisions (not talking about outside ..., that is a huge improvement (just the few times I have been unlucky or not ... I have hardly seen them use the outdoor exhibit... I guess, I just was unlucky there).
I would not suggest it is structurally indoor unfit, but pretty much a regular old school exhibit. I like you would like to see how not just these 2 incidents, but some gorilla social structural changes and/or issues can be elucidated to common cause or be addressed effectively.
The little gorilla was overconfident and attacked the new silverback... who then bit him on the knee. Unfortunately, that is not an easy wound to treat.
It don't seems to me to be a structural fault in the animal enclosure or the accommodation. But rather a coincidence, and a lack of experience on the part of the little gorilla.
It don't seems to me to be a structural fault in the animal enclosure or the accommodation. But rather a coincidence, and a lack of experience on the part of the little gorilla.
I would put this down just to bad luck. A ' punishment' bite by a silverback can be deep and tear at muscle etc if delivered in a bad place on the body, that seems to be the situation here.
Researchers at Zoo Antwerpen have designed and 3D-printed algae feeders for reef fish to encourage and lengthen natural grazing behavior.
ZOO Antwerpen on Instagram: "Wat heeft een 3D-printer te maken met het welzijn van onze vissen? Meer dan je zou denken ... In de natuur brengen grazende vissen zoals doktersvissen en papegaaivissen bijna de hele dag door met algen grazen. Maar dat is in een aquarium niet even gemakkelijk. Daarom gingen onze onderzoekers creatief aan de slag.
Ze ontwikkelden een 3D-geprinte voederstructuur die vissen uitdaagt om zélf op zoek te gaan naar hun eten. Zo krijgen ze extra verrijking én kunnen ze zich gedragen zoals ze in de natuur ook zouden doen. Over een win-win gesproken. Benieuwd naar hoe die 3D-feeder eruit ziet en hoe de vissen erop reageren? Lees dan het volledige verhaal op ZOOscience.be #ZOOantwerpen #wetenschapstiendaagse #zooscience"
ZOO Antwerpen on Instagram: "Wat heeft een 3D-printer te maken met het welzijn van onze vissen? Meer dan je zou denken ... In de natuur brengen grazende vissen zoals doktersvissen en papegaaivissen bijna de hele dag door met algen grazen. Maar dat is in een aquarium niet even gemakkelijk. Daarom gingen onze onderzoekers creatief aan de slag.
Ze ontwikkelden een 3D-geprinte voederstructuur die vissen uitdaagt om zélf op zoek te gaan naar hun eten. Zo krijgen ze extra verrijking én kunnen ze zich gedragen zoals ze in de natuur ook zouden doen. Over een win-win gesproken. Benieuwd naar hoe die 3D-feeder eruit ziet en hoe de vissen erop reageren? Lees dan het volledige verhaal op ZOOscience.be #ZOOantwerpen #wetenschapstiendaagse #zooscience"
I may have expressed it incorrectly, but that was my opinion too
The little gorilla was visible again today, playing happily on the gorilla terrace (the old enclosure, the covered area).
Père Damian's Deer
Well-Known Member
I've got a very big update for today, since it's been quite a while.
Mammals:
Primates:
Mammals:
Primates:
- The Geoffrey's Marmoset seems to have left, he was very close to the older pygmy marmoset that passed away. This might be a reason why he left.
- There are plans to start breeding again with the Owl-faced Monkeys, 'Vince' the offspring of the 'breeding' couple will soon be leaving to an unnamed german zoo.
- Ayo (the new silverback) has copulated with Mayani and Mambele (they are still on the contraceptive pill). At the moment there are two groups: Ayo, Mayani, Mambele and Amahoro, Thandie, Vizazi.
- The Kirk's Dik-dik have moved to two of the okapi enclosures (the moorish temple enclosures), the larger enclosure is still inhabited by one red duiker (the one who arrived from copenhagen, perhaps)
- I also saw a Red Duiker with the Eastern Bongo, I recognized this individual. This is definitely one that used to be with the Okapis.
- The land area in 'Dabou's' (Pygmy hippo male) enclosure is being expanded and is nearing completion. The rest of the pool is getting painted.
- The Giraffes, Ostriches and Warthogs were all outside together.
- There are some small works in the Babirusa enclosure regarding the underground pipe system .
- It seems Zaki (the Malayan Tapir offspring) might be leaving soon or has left the zoo.
- The Black-and-Rufous Sengi is pregnant, the male is therefore currently offshow to prevent him from eating the offspring.
- The youngest Koala 'Tin-tookie' has a hip issue and will therefore not be included in breeding programs.
- There is only one couple of Sun Conures at the moment, but they do intend on getting 2 more couples. I also got some information surrounding the former inhabitants and why it didn't work. The Montezuma Quail was very vunerable to the cold and couldn't really handle the temperatures very well and the Ultramarine Grosbeak was too agressive towards the Parakeets.
- There are chicks for both Comb Ducks and Plumed Whistling-ducks in the buffalo aviary.
- There are now Hadada Ibis in the 'Wetlands aviary'. The Marabou and Grey-crowned Crane are now offshow in the same aviary, due to the colder temperatures.
- There is new signage about the different types of beak in this same aviary and signage about the pygmy hippo. (on top of the roof, at the panorama view)
- The offspring of the Scaly-sided Mergansers have moved to different zoos.
- I saw a new species in the Australia aviary (Grey-capped Emerald Dove).
- They intend to breed the Congo Peafowl in the future with a female from Poland.
- I also asked about the reason for swapping the Crested Oropendola with the Green Oropendola. The Green Oropendola is breeding slightly better, therefore it was decided to get a couple. Unfortunately the female Oropendola got stuck in her nest and passed away.
- The European White Storks are temporarily back with the flamingos, because their enclosure is being renovated (Pygmy Hippo)
- The team wants to make the largest portion of the exhibits in the reptile house geographically acurate. This is shown by their addition of Fire-bellied Toad to the Chinese Crocodile Lizard enclosure. They also want to make the Teju, Sailfin Dragon and turtles enclosure region bonded.
- A new species will be added to the new large Dart Frog enclosure.
- The American and Australian terrarium have switched inhabitants. This is partly because the American reptiles use the rocks and height of the enclosure more.
- The enclosures for Beaded Lizard and Spiny-tailed Iguana are being worked on.
- The Southeast asian Box Turtle has been removed from its enclosure.
- The Nursehound were temporarily offshow. They were being treated against a parasite.
- There is some offspring of the Greater Pipefish swimming around.
- The Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray is producing some eggs.
Are the Owl-faced Monkeys still living with the Gorillas and is the mix working okay? Also has it been stopped temporarily with arrival of the new silverback gorilla? Or are they still with the 2nd group. Will the departure of the young male leave just the older pair?
Père Damian's Deer
Well-Known Member
The mix is working well right now, the silverback hasn’t gone to the large outdoor area yet, so he might be somewhat unaware of the monkeys. I do think they can see eachother from their indoor areas. After Vince (young owl faced monkey) leaves, the old couple will be the only ones left (Kibo and Jimmel).
When the previous silverback at Antwerp, Matadi, was a young animal (a little younger than Vizazi is now) and living in his birth zoo at Twycross UK, they aquired a new silverback after his own father died. Oumbie, the new male attacked Matadi (or Matadi gave the wrong signals possibly) resulting in a huge gash across his rump. Probably similar in seriousness to Vizazi's wound, but it was left to heal naturally, which it did (the zoo put up notices about the injury for visitors to inform them). But had it been located on the knee like Vizazi, they may had to intervene like Antwerp have. I think the two incidents with the young females have no connections as the causes are completely different, it is chance, a fluke situation I feel.
Sorry if this is a stupid question, if the monkeys share an outdoor yard with the gorillas how do the keepers stop them from accessing the gorilla indoor areas?
The indoor exhibits are also shared, the owl-faced monkeys do have their own indoor space and their own access to the outdoor exhibit.
I haven't seen them in the indoor gorilla exhibits often yet, currently the owl-faced monkeys are pretty much off-show due to the ongoing introduction of the new silverback gorilla.
When I visited on Sunday in the morning Ayo, Mambele and Mayani were in what is normally the second "sun room" indoor exhibit for the chimpanzees, and the former visitor area that normally connects the chimp indoor exhibits to their outdoor exhibit has temporarily been screened off for the chimps and added to the gorilla space. Amahoro and the young gorillas were in the large indoor gorilla exhibit. The indoor viewing area for the gorilla "bedroom" exhibits was closed to visitors. Shortly after noon I passed by again and at that time I saw none of the animals, so they might have been switching, but I'm not sure about that.