UK Gorilla update..

P

Pertinax

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Chiefly for Jelle and Yassa. Here's a brief update on the UK Gorilla groups;

Blackpool. No developments or pregnancies. Need to replace male Jitu.
Bristol. both male babies doing well. (Romina could be mated again next year?)
Chessington- new male 'Damisi' to arrive from Paignton. some recent problems with bad publicity over the current state of enclosure. 6 year old 'male' 'Sangha' now found to be a female!
London. No recent news. Another female expected sometime. It will not be now be Madrid's 'Sangha'. Could be a female from Blackpool?
Jersey. Nothing to report. Three females don't breed. They need to replace Ya Kwanza.
Paignton. males Mapema(to Duisburg) and Damisi(to Chessington) shortly to leave/have left. Remaining will be four males- the silverback Pertinax plus three younger ones.
Twycross- need a new male in younger group, since death of Sekondi.
SamSam probably to stay permanently with older females?
Belfast- silverback Boulas probably to be returned to Port Lympne.
female Bikira may be exchanged with one from Wuppertal.
Dublin. - No recent changes.

Howletts/Port Lympne. Not possible to keep track of all their developments...
 
Correction 1. Madrid female is Banga, not Sanga. She is very bald as she suffers from alopecia. She is now to go elsewhere in Europe, not London.

2. Belfast. Their gorillas have not bred for ten years now. Silverback Boulas could be infertile. He is probably going to be returned to Port Lympne. They have a younger wildcaught male at Belfast who is more valuable genetically.
anyway. But one female may be exchanged for another from Europe.
 
Are they going to increase the size of the Gorilla group at London zoo? or will it stay at only 3
 
MARK said:
Are they going to increase the size of the Gorilla group at London zoo? or will it stay at only 3
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I read in their publicity blurb that they were hoping to add TWO more females.
Next a rumour that a female 'Banga' was coming from Madrid Zoo- she would not be a good display though as she's completely bald(suffers from alopecia) Now I hear she is going elsewhere in Europe, not to London.

I think London may still be trying to get their two existing females to live together okay- in which case they may defer adding any more for a while.
 
grantsmb said:
2. Belfast. Their gorillas have not bred for ten years now. Silverback Boulas could be infertile. He is probably going to be returned to Port Lympne. They have a younger wildcaught male at Belfast who is more valuable genetically.
anyway. But one female may be exchanged for another from Europe.
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What is the name of the younger wildcaught male? Why has the change over for Boulas not happened yet (a 10-year gap seems a long time here)?
 
Hadley said:
Where is the Chessington silverback who was rejected by the group? Has he left already?
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As far as I know, Kumba- the old silverback- is to stay at cHessington permanently. The plan was to keep him seperately with his original non-breeding partner 'Baffia'(whom he's been living with since being split from the group) and possibly also the other older female Kaja, as 'retirees'.

I think that is longterm after a new enclosure is built for the main group. Meanwhile K & B. live seperate from the rest.
 
jelle said:
What is the name of the younger wildcaught male? Why has the change over for Boulas not happened yet (a 10-year gap seems a long time here)?
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The younger male is Gugas. He's now about 13 years old. Came originally from a circus in Portugal, via Stuttgart nursery.

I can't understand why Boulas has not bred at BElfast- he is a very normal male. There was talk of him returning to Port Lympne some long time ago but(as usual) it still hasn't happened yet. I was told Gugas does mate but he may be intimated by the older silverback being there.

The ten year gap has largely been caused by the loss of the original breeding male (KeKe). He was replaced by a useless male, when that one died, they got Boulas from Port Lympne, but he has been no good either. The Belfast group has experienced more than its fair share of bad luck over the years. It has produced only two survivings offspring- males; 'Nasibu' in Kolmarden, Sweden and 'Kumbuka'- in Paignton male group- both now about 10 years.
 
recent update.

Jersey- death of young female 'Ya Pili' (4 years).

Twycross- death of 6 month female infant 'Ndoki'.(malnutrition?)
death of female Eva. aged 34 years.

Paignton- transfer of male 'Mapema' to Duisburg Zoo, Germany.
 
does longleat still have a lone male, there was a lot of discussion on the forum about gorillas at longleat, would the longleat island be considered as maybe a retirement home for some of the countrys older gorillas taking up valuable zoo space, the indoor area would need a refit after watching "animal park" it seems to consist of 2 fairly small heavily barred cages.
 
As far as I know, Longleat still have their old male 'Nico.' I believe it was mentioned on here that they don't propose giving him another mate as it could prove too stressful so I guess he'll stay alone now..

I certainly wouldn't recommend any other gorillas going there with the current accomodation. Except perhaps another companion for Nico if one was made available. As you saw, the inside areas are very primitive while water is always dangerous to gorillas unfamiliar with it.

I think after NIco dies they should keep something more suitable on there- Mandrills would make a good show.
 
docend24 said:
Female Bikira from Belfast should be sent to Prague in next days.
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Perhaps then Belfast will receive the young female from Vallee de Singes in France. Their wildcaught male Gugas ( the very last Gorilla to enter a zoo from the wild?) needs to breed and one of the best ways to stimulate that is to bring in a younger female who is both subordinate and unfamiliar to him.
 
Good news. I hope that 'Richard' and 'Bikira' like each other and babies result.
 
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Arrived and they know it :)
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online cameras here: http://hobby.idnes.cz/gorily-kamery.asp?kam=1
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