Oumbi must be feeling tense - this is very different to what he is used to. He was not pulling this face all the time, but he was obviously not completely at ease. I think he may feel better when Ozala or Asante come into season.
I'm sure they won't move the females around now. I guess Boulas will go into Joe's old section, which has separate indoor and outdoor cages next to the ones for Bongo and Biddy - there are wire screens between the indoor cages, so they will be able to introduce them gradually if they wish.
I guess Boulas will go into Joe's old section, which has separate indoor and outdoor cages next to the ones for Bongo and Biddy - there are wire screens between the indoor cages, so they will be able to introduce them gradually if they wish.
Yes, I'm sure they will do that- then finally open the connecting door when they feel the time is right. Boulas is fully used to females anyway, whereas Oumbi hasn't seen one since he was five years old.
Its interesting how Twycross have been able to get two males owned by Howletts/PL, whereas London (as with the Hunting Dogs previously) have had to go to Europe to get one as Howletts won't play ball with them. A Port Lympne male would not have been related to any of the three ZSL females.
I think Howletts/Port Lympne loaned London some Gorillas before but i dont think things went too well?
Its great news at Twycross though , And hopefully the begginings of a successful group of Gorillas
I think it`s funny that you divide between "Europe" and the UK - for me, the UK is part of Europe, LOL.
I guess the EEP is happy that Yeboah is placed in a good zoo, maybe the transfer of another Aspinall male wouldn`t have been approved. Just speculating, certainly - I think Pertinax has a point that the Aspinall parks and London Zoo don`t like each other..
Not so. The only time London and Howletts have co-operated with Gorillas was when London sent their female 'Lomie' on a longterm loan to live in a Howletts group, and many years after she died(at chessington Zoo) ZSL received her adult silverback son 'Jomie' from Port Lympne, but he was theirs anyway under the breeding arrangement.
Howletts and ZSL do not like each other- this is historical from the bygone days when John Aspinall critisised London for its postage stamp collection of animals, small cages and lack of breeding successes, while London viewed Aspinall as a 'maverick' and unsafe in his zookeeping practises. It has continued pretty much to the present day and the two very different establishments seem to have relatively little contact. If Damien Aspinall criticised Gorilla Kingdom then the feud is obviously still alive and well(unfortunately)
I'm sure you are correct about Yeboah. Though of course there are some males at Port Lympne from different lines (i.e. not Bitam x ...) which could have been okay for London. Oumbi is the lucky one I think- most of those other Port Lympne males may be stuck in their present (male)groupings for their whole lives.
I thought it could be something like that Pertinax its just something we have to put up with and will hopefully be resolved over time.The principles of the Aspinall Parks and ZSL are indeed so differerent and i know quite alot of zoos will not send animals away if they are not happy with the coniditions so this is probably another case of this.
I should have said earlier- this is a very good first shot of Oumbi at Twycross, and you did well to get it. I'm wondering how often he comes outside at the moment.
It was just good ol' dumb luck and little bit of a tip-off - the first time I went to the exhibit I just happened to be on the 'phone with zoogiraffe who pointed me at the right group to try to spot him, and he just happened to be out and about and posing! (and even in front of some Twycross brickwork, in case there was any doubt!)
There definitely seemed to be a bit of an atmosphere in the group. Hopefully just adjustment period. Didn't see Oumbi on my later two passes of the exhibit (didn't bother trying to get through the crowd to peer in the house).
