Chester Zoo Is Elephant 'Birma' pregnant?

grantsmb said:
There are many parallels between Elephants and Gorillas. The same problems in establishing family groups. The same problems of desocialised infants. The same issues of females (usually) having to learn how to care for first infants. The same problems of finding homes for surplus males.

I think in Twycross's case the lack of any 'family' for their pregnant elephants made them very nervous of the outcome at the time of the births- despite that they were very lucky to have two good mothers. Now they HAVE got a family group, but without a bull, there's no immediate prospect of breeding any more calves. Ridiculous...

I agree that importing miserable confused young 'orphans' is no longer the way forward. As Elephant groups breed in Europe, hopefully 'splinter' groups can be formed with mothers and their calves being used to form new families in other zoos. Dublin being a perfect example. It would be good if Woburn obtain any additional animals in the same way, rather than importing any more from the countries of origin.
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Twycross are in the process of training their cows for A.I so that they can bred them again,this has only been possible since the two old dears stood down from running the zoo,as they were of the opinion as they had bred once they didn`t need to do it again.
 
zoogiraffe said:
Twycross are in the process of training their cows for A.I so that they can bred them again,this has only been possible since the two old dears stood down from running the zoo,as they were of the opinion as they had bred once they didn`t need to do it again.
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Ms Badham and Ms Evans did run the zoo as a glorified petshop really. Many animals that should have been bred from weren't, others were badly humanised in their infancy so couldn't breed etc. They did have a very blinkered view about what a zoo is really for, I think...
 
In many ways yes they did have a strange sense of what a zoo should be,but the zoo is a strange place to go round and not see them about the place,but the zoo is now moving forward and finally starting to spend all that money they got from the PG tips adverts
 
Don't they still live there and have any connection with it anymore- even if not actively involved?
 
Hadley said:
So who actually runs it now?
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They still live in a house owned by the zoo just down the road,the director of the zoo is Suzanne Boardman BVMS MRCVS is in charge of the day to day running supported by the trusties of the zoos charitable trust
 
i have the book written by Molly Badham and Nathalie Evans which they describe the early years of the zoo, it does seem that they did raise some of the erlier Chimps like children.
 
It must be very hard to stand down from a collection you set up and watch it develop in a way you would not have allowed it to had you not given up your position.
 
Yes it probably is. They were very much so for hand rearing animals aswell, the standing down must be a very recent thing as the book still speaks of them as directord as late as 2002.
 
Hadley said:
It must be very hard to stand down from a collection you set up and watch it develop in a way you would not have allowed it to had you not given up your position.
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Don`t know if any of you are aware at the moment Molly wouldn`t even know what day it was and Nat`s health isn`t much better.
 
zoogiraffe said:
Don`t know if any of you are aware at the moment Molly wouldn`t even know what day it was and Nat`s health isn`t much better.
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Yes, I knew that, it was obviously time for some radical changes to be made at Twycross.

Not only the Chimps were humanised- they had to be for the Brooke Bond Tea Adverts- but also the original pair of gorillas Joe and Bongo too- they used to wear clothes as babies etc. Its not surprising neither of them have ever bred.

I really hope Twycross can do something soon about those old pairs of Chimpanzees and the ugle range of cages they live in near the house. Even mixing them into one group would be better than the way they live at present.
 
grantsmb said:
I really hope Twycross can do something soon about those old pairs of Chimpanzees and the ugle range of cages they live in near the house. Even mixing them into one group would be better than the way they live at present.
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I can not imagine that it would cost a huge amount to build descent sized natural exhibits for the chimps, gorillas and orangs. Nicely planted, with logs, crags and boulders to play hide and seek. Climbing frames, ropes and wooden pipes. A place Discovery Ape Forest comes to mind. That would really put Twycross a boundary out of nowhere land.
 
Unfortunately the other(non TV) chimpanzees, the Gorillas, the Orangutans and the Bonobos all live in comparatively modern houses which i can't see them replacing in the short term. Of these the Orangutan accomodation is probably a priority as it is very overcrowded nowadays. I somehow imagine though that any new money which becomes available will be spent on new exhibits for new species at Twycross, before any of the Ape accomodation is changed much.
 
grantsmb said:
Unfortunately the other(non TV) chimpanzees, the Gorillas, the Orangutans and the Bonobos all live in comparatively modern houses which i can't see them replacing in the short term. Of these the Orangutan accomodation is probably a priority as it is very overcrowded nowadays. I somehow imagine though that any new money which becomes available will be spent on new exhibits for new species at Twycross, before any of the Ape accomodation is changed much.
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The major project for Twycross is to build a new entrance/shop and cafe,this should also include a enclosure for Snow Leopard.
 
well twycross are moving their female orangs satu , tamu and theodora and soon they hope to send tiga off to another zoo so the only orangutans left will be batu , maliku , mire and kibriah this will give them more room but the encoulrse needs updating
 
orang09 said:
well twycross are moving their female orangs satu , tamu and theodora and soon they hope to send tiga off to another zoo so the only orangutans left will be batu , maliku , mire and kibriah this will give them more room but the encoulrse needs updating
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orang09,

I am not that familiar with the Twycross orangs. I believe they have both Borneans and Sumatrans. Females Satu, Tamu, Theodora and Tiga which subspecies are they? Where are they going to go (on breeding loan somewhere good and proper)?

What subspecies are Batu, Maliku, Mire and Kibriah?

Thanx,

Jelle
 
jelle said:
orang09,

I am not that familiar with the Twycross orangs. I believe they have both Borneans and Sumatrans. Females Satu, Tamu, Theodora and Tiga which subspecies are they? Where are they going to go (on breeding loan somewhere good and proper)?

What subspecies are Batu, Maliku, Mire and Kibriah?

Thanx,

Jelle
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They are all Borneans at Twycross now they haven`t had a Sumatran for at least 10 years now.
 
zoogiraffe said:
They are all Borneans at Twycross now they haven`t had a Sumatran for at least 10 years now.
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Their last Sumatran was female 'Djambe' who was moved to Colchester Zoo after her Twycross mate 'Toby' died. (Djambe was his 2nd partner) She is still at Colchester.
 
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