Paignton Zoo orangutan bulu
- Thread starter orang09
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Gigit
Well-Known Member
I'll pop in on Tuesday and see what's happening.
Do you know how many Mandrills are currently in the Paignton group?
Also, are they still kept in two subgroups rather than altogether, and if so,do you know why? ( is it because the unrelated females fight or try to kill each other's infants?)
Gigit
Well-Known Member
mandrills
A good question and, funnily enough, similar to the one I want to ask when I can catch a keeper. There are the male, two females, and infant in one group, and female and infant in the other. You must be psychic because, in the last couple of weeks, the two groups have been put together and look as though they are all getting along. Apart, that is, from a female from the male's original group who seems to be a social outcast and never interacts with the others. She does respond to our attention and I wonder if she was hand reared and is therefore seen as 'different'.
I've been racking my brains as to why they were in separate groups and remember being told/reading/seeing on TV that the separate mother and infant were not put in with the male because he wasn't the father - they came from another zoo. Further, he wasn't interested in the first female they acquired for him (the social outcast?), but became brightly coloured when the second female arrived and they produced an infant (I think it's female and the other one male).
So many questions for the keepers! Which leads me to another question - we learnt on another thread that keepers don't appreciate ignorant visitors. How do they feel about constantly being approached by knowledgeable people desperate for more knowledge?
A good question and, funnily enough, similar to the one I want to ask when I can catch a keeper. There are the male, two females, and infant in one group, and female and infant in the other. You must be psychic because, in the last couple of weeks, the two groups have been put together and look as though they are all getting along. Apart, that is, from a female from the male's original group who seems to be a social outcast and never interacts with the others. She does respond to our attention and I wonder if she was hand reared and is therefore seen as 'different'.
I've been racking my brains as to why they were in separate groups and remember being told/reading/seeing on TV that the separate mother and infant were not put in with the male because he wasn't the father - they came from another zoo. Further, he wasn't interested in the first female they acquired for him (the social outcast?), but became brightly coloured when the second female arrived and they produced an infant (I think it's female and the other one male).
So many questions for the keepers! Which leads me to another question - we learnt on another thread that keepers don't appreciate ignorant visitors. How do they feel about constantly being approached by knowledgeable people desperate for more knowledge?
.
I've been racking my brains as to why they were in separate groups and remember being told/reading/seeing on TV that the separate mother and infant were not put in with the male because he wasn't the father - they came from another zoo.Okay, thanks for that information. With Mandrills(and Drills) if females in a group are unrelated, the top-ranking one will often kill(or try to) the infants of lower ranking females- if they are her daughters, there isn't this problem.
In Paignton's case, I expect the problems arose because the females came from different sources, and as you said, even the first female and juvenile were from elsewhere - I think maybe it was Colchester?
Can you find out 1. if the adult male Mandrill is the same one that used to live in the old Small Mammal Building? If so I believe he was born at Paignton?
2. where the females came from (i think one + the male juvenile came from Colchester, the others possibly from France, but I'm not sure...)
I'm sure the keepers will be happy to share information- it makes a change from the usual sorts of questions I guess.
Regarding the two gorillas Mapema and Damisi. Would you say they are as big as Pertinax now? Are they getting their 'silver' backs yet? I heard Damisi was more developed than Mapema at this stage. What is your opinion?
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Attachments
(I'm now Pertinax, not Grantsmb)
No, that is a press photo- I also have a copy of it too.
There are two postcards- one colour(the best one) and one b/w. I will try and upload the colour one sometime if I can.
I also came across a small photo of Toli and Charlie(Bulu's parents) together at ZsL (just their heads really) at the stage before Charlie developed his pads. Probably this was before they started breeding. At this time London had at least two other Bornean males, 'Jiggs' and 'Alexander' 'Alex' was later sent to Edinburgh and he survived longer than Toli and Charlie, but he had no mate at Edinburgh, so no offspring.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Mapema has left the building! He arrived safely in Duisberg this morning. Damisi looks rather upset - banging on the door between him and the others and going outside and staring into the main den. As you may have guessed, gorilla observation isn't my main activity in the Ape House and I was amazed today to discover that Kimbuka is only a few months younger than Damisi. It is unbelievable - he isn't even half Damisi's size. In some lights Damisi's back looks slightly silvery.
I was excited to hear that 2 orangutans are arriving from Munster at the weekend - Mali, a female d.o.b. 29/9/95 and a male - either Pongo d.o.b. 17/1/98 or Demo d.o.b. 6/6/98. I'm not sure which. Mali was born at Munster and the others arrived there in 2004 and have been living with Mali. They won't be on show for a few weeks. At last!
There were 6 Mandrills on show today. The alpha female looks very rotund. I couldn't find the appropriate keeper again but I'll keep trying.
Good news and I'm particularly relieved to hear he arrived safely- genetically he's a valuable boy...
Will Damisi now stay on his own until he leaves shortly too? Yes, Kumbuka is almost the same age as those two- my guess is he will suddenly start to grow quickly in due course. He could also be in line for a group at some stage (nothing mentioned yet though).
Good news about the Orangutans- its certainly about time that something happened. Maybe you can find out when they come, which male it turns out to be.. Any more Mandrill news would be good too..
Good news about the Orangutans- its certainly about time that something happened. Maybe you can find out when they come, which male it turns out to be.. Any more Mandrill news would be good too..
Mighty fine news! At last Paignton will be able to attempt breeding their orang females .......! I hope they also refurbish their house some time soon.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
bulu's family tree
I believe we have now acounted for all of Bulu's pregnancies - there were 10, not 11. And we've located 6 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren up to 2004.
I believe we have now acounted for all of Bulu's pregnancies - there were 10, not 11. And we've located 6 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren up to 2004.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Damisi
Yes ~ he's never been mixed with the small boys. A confusing few weeks for him.
Yes ~ he's never been mixed with the small boys. A confusing few weeks for him.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
I'd love to have any photos to illustrate Bulu's family tree.
I'll see what I can do.
Do the 'small boy' gorillas (and Kumbuka) normally live with Pertinax, or what?
Last time I went it was just one group but that was before the three younger ones arrived.
This press photo of Toli and Bulu was taken soon after Bulu's first birthday. The date on my copy is 22.3.62.