Great historical shot and top quality too! I used to think in those days that if Belle-Vue, Chester and Dudley had all co-operated more in the late 1960's by exchanging members of each of their non-breeding Gorilla pairs (e.g. by transferring females) a first UK breeding could have been achieved rather earlier than Bristol's 1971 date.
Great historical shot and top quality too! I used to think in those days that if Belle-Vue, Chester and Dudley had all co-operated more in the late 1960's by exchanging members of each of their non-breeding Gorilla pairs (e.g. by transferring females) a first UK breeding could have been achieved rather earlier than Bristol's 1971 date.
That's theoretically possible of course - but it would have required a major change of attitude and a degree of foresight that was not usual at the time. Even so, I doubt whether it could have happened before 1971, if only because they wouldn't have been sure that the males were mature. In a way, it did happen some years later in the new Ape House at Bristol, with the proven male Samson, and that hardly turned out well.
When did the last gorillas leave Dudley? Would I be right in remembering seeing them in the ape house along with chimps and orangs in the late 90s? (my childhood days)
When did the last gorillas leave Dudley? Would I be right in remembering seeing them in the ape house along with chimps and orangs in the late 90s? (my childhood days)
The female Ruki died in 1973. The male Bukhama/Bonzo died in 1994 so unless your memory dates are out a bit its unlikely you saw him. He had lived alone since 1973. Ironically there were plans to move him to the Chessington group, but he died before this could be implemented.
When did the last gorillas leave Dudley? Would I be right in remembering seeing them in the ape house along with chimps and orangs in the late 90s? (my childhood days)
