Paignton Zoo Paignton Zoo Gorillas.
- Thread starter Pertinax
- Start date
Gigit
Well-Known Member
paignton zoo gorillas
They were still there last week ~ I'll check sometime this week.
They were still there last week ~ I'll check sometime this week.
Thanks- maybe you can find out when they're due to go?
Gigit
Well-Known Member
paignton zoo gorillas
They were still there today - lying on their backs in their half of the Ape House while Chinta slept under a pile of woodwool in the other. The small gorillas were more active outside. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anybody to ask about departure dates. I'll try again.
They were still there today - lying on their backs in their half of the Ape House while Chinta slept under a pile of woodwool in the other. The small gorillas were more active outside. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anybody to ask about departure dates. I'll try again.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
paignton zoo gorillas
I've been told that Mapema is off to Germany on 30 October and Damisi to Chessington in 9 weeks. They'll be getting two little ones to replace them in due course.
I've been told that Mapema is off to Germany on 30 October and Damisi to Chessington in 9 weeks. They'll be getting two little ones to replace them in due course.
What is their genetic line ...........? Who are the sire and dam in Damisi and Mapema? Are they genetically valuable at all?
Thanks for the information.
I think the next two small ones at Stuttgart(the nursery) are destined for the French batchelor group at La Boissiere in France. So it won't be them.
Paignton staff perhaps don't know yet where the next two will come from.
This is the best batchelor group I know of- it has worked really well so far with(soon) five males having left to join breeding groups(Klaus, Asato, Asili, Mapema and Damisi) Apart from Pertinax and Klaus, they have managed to avoid any aggression between silverbacks by only having the one mature male.
Damisi- the one going to Chessington, is unfortunately from a very well represented line. He was born in Frankfurt, parents; Matz x Rebecca. Rebecca is the full sister of two breeding silverbacks; Apenheul Jambo and Basel Kisoro. Matz, his father, has many offspring too.
Also Damisi is the full brother of Richard/Ricky- breeding in Prague. So you can see he isn't genetically valuable
BUT he was probably chosen as being the right age and not related to any of the Chessington group.Mapema- to Duisburg- was born at Jersey, parents; Ya Kwanza x H.Kahilli. Genetically speaking his father's side is important, YK being the only offspring of Rigo x Yuska at Melbourne, and Mapema is the elder of(so far) only two offspring in the next generation. Interestingly at Duisburg he'll meet Safira, from Taronga Park.
(Mapema couldn't go to Chessington as the breeding females there are related to him on the Jersey side of their pedigree).
Mapema- to Duisburg- was born at Jersey, parents; Ya Kwanza x H.Kahilli. Mapema is the elder of(so far) only two offspring in the next generation.Now Mapema is even more important. I just saw on another thread that his younger sister at Jersey has just died, so he's currently the ONLY offspring of Ya Kwanza...
Writhedhornbill
Well-Known Member
Hopefully he'll take an interest in the females!!
He was mother-raised so I have every confidence in him. Its (normally) only some of the handraised males who create problems breeding.
I thought I would reactivate this thread as we have been talking about them in the 'Bulu' thread which should be kept for orangutan really.
Gigit- if you talk to the Ape keepers at Paignton, can you find out if they know if any changes have been made to the Chessington gorilla enclosure in order to accomodate 'Damisi' ?
Following some fairly severe critisism of the overcrowding situation at Chessington,(particularly in the dens) there was some talk of an 'extension' being made, but I can't find any indication as to whether it has happened or not...
Gigit- if you talk to the Ape keepers at Paignton, can you find out if they know if any changes have been made to the Chessington gorilla enclosure in order to accomodate 'Damisi' ?
Following some fairly severe critisism of the overcrowding situation at Chessington,(particularly in the dens) there was some talk of an 'extension' being made, but I can't find any indication as to whether it has happened or not...
I'm sure the reality is rather different- maybe no change at all 
That is great news. Have you any plans on the envisaged gorilla housing? Will they refurbish the existing house and provide an extension or is it a whole new set up elsewhere in the park?
Oh,wow, so the dream was at least partly true... Do you know what they have done to the existing cage- is it extra dens, or splitting the outside cage, or adding more space etc?
I would contact Chessington but its very difficult to get any response from them- especially now they're closed for the season.
Will they refurbish the existing house and provide an extension or is it a whole new set up elsewhere in the park?
I think you'll find it is the former...(provide an extension of some sort)
The plan at Chessington is to build a completely new Gorilla exhibit when(if) they start to build their 'zoo safari' area on a large vacant area of land, but that's longer term.
Short term they were asked to improve the existing enclosure(or lose their license!) but they've faced this request before and not done very much. But with Damisi now being added to the main group, and Kumba/Baffia being permanently split off, they've probably had to do something. The outside is modelled on a Howletts cage and is fairly spacious -even for 10 animals, but the indoor dens are small and insufficient now for the size of this successful group..
Gigit
Well-Known Member
I'm afraid I have to plead ignorance. Even when I was speaking to the keeper I didn't really know what I was asking about! I went to Chessington several years ago and all I can remember of the gorillas is feeling terribly sorry for them being in that environment, and in a small enclosure with a ***** trying to throw a lighted cigarette onto their bedding. I hope things have improved since then. Maybe when the keeper returns from delivering Damisi he'll have more information. Mapema has settled well, by the way, and is surrounded by beautiful females!