Zura and her half-brother Oscar are pictured above
The San Francisco Zoo has a family of 7 WL Gorillas in half acre exhibit. Although rather small, and with too much visitor-viewing points, it's not a bad space. t's planted with tall grass. There's two rocky outcropping structures to climb on, a large elm tree that one of the gorilla's has been observed making a nest in, a tire swing and some fallen logs to clamber around on.
The Group consists of a
A silverback and two females who're all in their early 30's, two teen-aged females, a 5 YO male and an 11 month old female.
33 YO Bawang is the troops' matriarch and most dominant female. She's very maternalistic and has raised 3 of her own babies and acted as a surrogate to two more. Nneka is her 15 YO daughter who's still at the zoo. Nneka is the mother of Kabibe, who Bawang is raising. She's very playful and is usually seen playing with Hasani. Zura is Bawangs' 32 YO cheeky & drama-loving sidekick, sister to Oscar and Aunt to Hasani & Kabibe. When she's not near Bawang, shes usually busy harassing Oscar. Oscar is the troops reclusive, but stunningly beautiful 32 YO Silverback. He spends most of his time inside, or playing with Hasani. Hasani is a rambunctious 5 YO. He spends most of his time playing with Nneka, his dad Oscar, or carrying Kabibe after snatching her from Bawang. Monifa is the lowest ranking female and biological mother of Hasani, who Bawang is raising. She tends to hangout on her own, or with Oscar and occasionally Nneka & Hasani.
That is classic Silverback behaviour in Zoos. Many males will stay indoors often almost entirely the whole time, if they are given the choice. I am not sure why but I think it must have something to do with their stress levels.
BTW , is 'Oscar' the same male as 'O.J.'? If so he is indeed a stunning looking male.
That is classic Silverback behaviour in Zoos. Many males will stay indoors often almost entirely the whole time, if they are given the choice. I am not sure why but I think it must have something to do with their stress levels.
BTW , is 'Oscar' the same male as 'O.J.'? If so he is indeed a stunning looking male.
"O.J." was named after his parents Oscar & Jonesy- two gorillas that lived at the Columbus Zoo, where he and Zura were born. The two half-siblings came to San Francisco when they were just a few years old. Oscar left in the late 80's to go to the Buffalo zoo where he lived as the blackback until 2006. The Buffalo zoo renamed him "Rich".
But after the SF Zoo Silverback M'kumbwa (Kubi) died in 2004, "Rich" returned to the SF Zoo, where he was again called O.J. However "Oscar", ended up sticking. Having an animal called "O.J", in the city where OJ Simpson is from isn't great for publicity..
Silverback behaviour is probably heavily influenced by visitors. Silverbacks are the star attraction at any Gorilla exhibit. They're the subject of the most taunts, yells and provocations, as visitors want to see them channelling some King-Kong
"O.J." was named after his parents Oscar & Jonesy- two gorillas that lived at the Columbus Zoo,
Having an animal called "O.J", in the city where OJ Simpson is from isn't great for publicity..
Silverback behaviour is probably heavily influenced by visitors. Silverbacks are the star attraction at any Gorilla exhibit. They're the subject of the most taunts, yells and provocations, as visitors want to see them channelling some King-Kong
Thanks for the update on O.J/Oscar. I prefer Oscar too and both his father and another Oscar somewhere else in the US are dead now so there is no confusion. I've always thought he was a stunning male from photos. He's also a great grandson of the original Columbus pair 'Baron(Macombo) & Christina(Millie).
Re Silverback behaviour. I have repeatedly seen very similar 'retiring behaviour' in adult males of Drill and Mandrill too. Somewhere I have read a study on a group of Drills where it was noted the adult male hid away out of sight much of the time as a way of reducing his aggressive interactions with people, and therefore his stress levels too, caused by too close proximity and threatening presence of the public. When the barrier was moved further away he became more relaxed and used the enclosure more.
I feel sure something similar is at work with many Silverback Gorillas too, why they stay indoors a lot more than other group members and why some of them die from heart disease in early middle-age(around 32 being a frequent age for it to happen).
