In new house. She had been obtained from Bideford Zoo (Katherine Tottenham). She never bred. She did briefly go to Edinburgh Zoo on breeding loan, but returned and died at Chessington.
In new house. She had been obtained from Bideford Zoo (Katherine Tottenham). She never bred. She did briefly go to Edinburgh Zoo on breeding loan, but returned and died at Chessington.
interesting link with Edinburgh, as Chessington also exchanged female Gorillas with them for one year, but neither of those exchanges had a successful outcome either and they were returned.
interesting link with Edinburgh, as Chessington also exchanged female Gorillas with them for one year, but neither of those exchanges had a successful outcome either and they were returned.
Yes Baffia/Bafia went to Edinburgh in 1992. Female Yinka came to Chessington in exchange. Of course Baffia/Bafia did have a miscarriage with London`s Kumba, it made her quite ill actually. Frustratingly she never
successfully bred, she was THE most important animal genetically within that early colony, so it is a shame. But you are right she did have some behavioural issues with male gorillas!
I was told Kumba cornered her and mated her just once, from which she became pregnant, but she never let herself get caught again. Her issues may have been exacerbated by having Assumbo as well as Kumba for a while sharing the enclosure, giving a 2.1. ratio. Until he left and the two extra females(Kaja and Lomie) arrived from Howletts.
I also saw Yinka at Chessington- very nervous of course in the new surroundings.
I was told Kumba cornered her and mated her just once, from which she became pregnant, but she never let herself get caught again. Her issues may have been exacerbated by having Assumbo as well as Kumba for a while sharing the enclosure, giving a 2.1. ratio. Until he left and the two extra females(Kaja and Lomie) arrived from Howletts.
I also saw Yinka at Chessington- very nervous of course in the new surroundings.
Yes absolutely. It was a strange decision I thought to bring in Assumbo at the same time as Kumba - there was certainly a great deal of tension in the group at that time, Assumbo was very uncomfortable there, even though I seem to remember him being quite a bit larger in stature than Kumba!
Where this chimp is later became a sort of covered indoor 'Gorillarium'- valuable extra space for the present group. Not sure if it is still there behind the second outdoor area they built more recently, but I imagine so.
Where this chimp is later became a sort of covered indoor 'Gorillarium'- valuable extra space for the present group. Not sure if it is still there behind the second outdoor area they built more recently, but I imagine so.
Yes it was built solely for the pair of chimps initially, but as you say, it then became an extra part of the Gorilla`s enclosure, so I presume it is still there ?
In new house. She had been obtained from Bideford Zoo (Katherine Tottenham). She never bred. She did briefly go to Edinburgh Zoo on breeding loan, but returned and died at Chessington.
Mrs Katherine Tottenham had a private collection near Minety in Wiltshire first, before moving to a sheltered valley setting in Bideford, Devon. Here she set up Bideford Zoo in May 1966. I thought she only kept one chimp - "Cressida" , as in my photo, but apparently she kept two females - "Jane" and "Cressy" - as she was nicknamed ("Cressida"). She also had several Monkey species including; Olive and Guinea Baboons, Martin`s spot-nosed Guenons, Red-eared Guenons, Grivet Monkeys and Rhesus Macaques, Deer, Raccoon-dogs, Llamas, Pumas, Coatis, Porcupines, Phalangers, Sealions, Owls, Parrots, Hornbills and Waterfowl etc...
