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Apenheul Primate Park apenheul gorillas.
- Thread starter Pertinax
- Start date
This is certainly good news, I am very happy for Jambo that he is using the outdoor enclsure and coming along at least with some of the females! In krefeld where he grew up the gorillas have no outside enclosure, while the gorilla island in Apenheul is fantastic. Huge and lots of vegetation, so plenty of space for the gorillas if they seek privicy from each other and especially the humans.
Unfortunately Jambo has a lot of breeding siblings, and the Apenheul gorilla family is also well represented in Europe, so the offspring from Jambo and the young females won`t be very important from the genetic point of view.
Unfortunately Jambo has a lot of breeding siblings, and the Apenheul gorilla family is also well represented in Europe, so the offspring from Jambo and the young females won`t be very important from the genetic point of view.
Yes. Apenhuel is the one Gorilla exhibit I've seen where they really looked as if they could be a wild troop moving through the jungle. There is so much space and being well-wooded, they feel happy using it all too.
And Yes, I do agree its a pity that 'Jambo' is from a well represented line. I had thought Apenheul would look for a less represented male, but its increasingly difficult to find one in Europe nowadays. I think they look at several possibilities(some less well represented in the EEP population) but decided Jambo was best socialised with other gorillas so they picked him.
The other 'possibles' were; Mayaabu at Loro Parc. born Stuttgart.(m/r)
Niky(then)at Madrid w/b with NO offspring.
Mike & Nyuki at La Palmyre. born there. (both h/r)
I believe either Mike or Nyuki may replace Catou at Duidsburg Zoo
'Niky' has since been sent with 'Nadia' from Madrid to Carbacinero(Spain)
And Yes, I do agree its a pity that 'Jambo' is from a well represented line. I had thought Apenheul would look for a less represented male, but its increasingly difficult to find one in Europe nowadays. I think they look at several possibilities(some less well represented in the EEP population) but decided Jambo was best socialised with other gorillas so they picked him.
The other 'possibles' were; Mayaabu at Loro Parc. born Stuttgart.(m/r)
Niky(then)at Madrid w/b with NO offspring.
Mike & Nyuki at La Palmyre. born there. (both h/r)
I believe either Mike or Nyuki may replace Catou at Duidsburg Zoo
'Niky' has since been sent with 'Nadia' from Madrid to Carbacinero(Spain)
I think for Apenheul it was more important to get a male who was in the right age and had grown up in a good social setting then getting a genetically important male. There are a couple of genetically important males (apart from Niky) but they are all younger then what Apenheul wanted, they wanted an adult silverback.
I have read on a dutch discussion board that a second female is pregnant now!
I have read on a dutch discussion board that a second female is pregnant now!
Good if Jambo has another female pregnant- his integration is obviously working ok. Of the other three males;
'Mayaabu' is about 18 years old- the only Loro Parc male that was mother-reared so he probably would have been fine for Apenheul too. Genetically he's about the same value as 'Jambo'.
The two males at La Palmyre(Mike & Nyuki) were handraised together and still live together as fullgrown males. They haven't been with any female so possibly were not regarded as good candidates. They are halfbrothers, neither are genetically well represented on their mothers' sides. But one of them may still go to Duisburg as a group leader in future?
'Mayaabu' is about 18 years old- the only Loro Parc male that was mother-reared so he probably would have been fine for Apenheul too. Genetically he's about the same value as 'Jambo'.
The two males at La Palmyre(Mike & Nyuki) were handraised together and still live together as fullgrown males. They haven't been with any female so possibly were not regarded as good candidates. They are halfbrothers, neither are genetically well represented on their mothers' sides. But one of them may still go to Duisburg as a group leader in future?
The two males at La Palmyre(Mike & Nyuki) were handraised together and still live together as fullgrown males. They haven't been with any female so possibly were not regarded as good candidates. They are halfbrothers, neither are genetically well represented on their mothers' sides. But one of them may still go to Duisburg as a group leader in future?
It said on the Apenheul website during the "search" that the Apenheul gorilla keepers were shocked by the agressive and non-social behaviour both males displayed, so they where both scratched as candidates.
It said on the Apenheul website during the "search" that the Apenheul gorilla keepers were shocked by the agressive and non-social behaviour both males displayed, so they where both scratched as candidates.
I would like to have been able to read all that info on their website!
Re the two males at La Palmyre; its not surprising as I believe they've only ever been kept with each other. Not a good recipe for adding one of them to a female group but who knows?
I think Apenheul were absolutely right not to choose a younger male- they have published info before about the 'mistaken use of blackback males as group leaders.' A blackback can't control females properly and if introduced to an established group of adult females (like Apenheul's) they may dominate him to the extent he NEVER becomes their superior. ( To me this is what seemed to happen at Jersey Zoo with Melbourne's male M'Zuri/Ya Kwanza).
Apenhuel breeding update
The young silverback Jambo is slowly getting to grips with his new found role as leader of the pack. The younger females Kisiswa, Mandji and Mintha have all mated with him. It is the clan elders Dalila and Lobo are somewhat suspicious of his puerile antics and have yet to accept him as the undisputed leader.
What has ensued of all this ...? Not just Kisiswa, but also Mandji is pregnant and both are due to give birth this fall.
The young silverback Jambo is slowly getting to grips with his new found role as leader of the pack. The younger females Kisiswa, Mandji and Mintha have all mated with him. It is the clan elders Dalila and Lobo are somewhat suspicious of his puerile antics and have yet to accept him as the undisputed leader.
What has ensued of all this ...? Not just Kisiswa, but also Mandji is pregnant and both are due to give birth this fall.
The young silverback Jambo is slowly getting to grips with his new found role as leader of the pack. The younger females Kisiswa, Mandji and Mintha have all mated with him.
Mandji and Mintha are not 'younger' females. They were in the original group imported by Apenheul and together with Lobo, are the oldest in the current group. Dalila, similar aged to them, later joined from Copenhagen Zoo. She later teamed up with the resident Lobo and these two are now the top ranking females in the group.
I heard that despite the matings and pregnancies 'Jambo' is still not the leader yet as Dalila and Lobo 'block' him. Also, he still makes sneaky attacks on some of the younger animals when their mothers aren't looking. The youngest 'Loango' had to move to Gaia Park because of this behaviour on his part.
Yes, you were right. Only Kisiswa is a female from the younger generation. And yes Dalila and Lobo associate together and have yet to accept Jambo as leader. Dalila is even the dominant character here.
Female Mintha did not have a high ranking position with the previous male and has been close perhaps to achieve higher rank through her association with Jambo. Female Mandji first was outright hostile to Jambo knocking him all over the place, but has since been usurped by him. Kisiswa on his introduction was badly bruised by the young silverback and after a span in recovery has since integrated well with Jambo.
However, due to his young age silverback Jambo is still much on his own while outside. He is not that keen to "seek out" the females as yet, other than by indulging in play fighting (for which the older females do not share his enthusiasm).
By the way, do you have access to the (EEP) gorilla studbook by any chance?
Female Mintha did not have a high ranking position with the previous male and has been close perhaps to achieve higher rank through her association with Jambo. Female Mandji first was outright hostile to Jambo knocking him all over the place, but has since been usurped by him. Kisiswa on his introduction was badly bruised by the young silverback and after a span in recovery has since integrated well with Jambo.
However, due to his young age silverback Jambo is still much on his own while outside. He is not that keen to "seek out" the females as yet, other than by indulging in play fighting (for which the older females do not share his enthusiasm).
By the way, do you have access to the (EEP) gorilla studbook by any chance?
I hink you have just translated the Apenhuel 'neuws' about Jambo for me??!!
Its interesting that 'Dalila' is the top-ranking female there, as she only joined the group from Copenhagen in 1991 as an adult. You would think she would have stayed below the original females in the ranking. I think only Mintha, Mandji, Lobo and Mouila-the last now in the Taronga Park group, are survivors of the original group. Both the males, Bongo and Balu are dead.
But its a hugely successful group in terms of breeding.
I don't have access to an EEP studbook, but I have data which is pretty much as good...
Its interesting that 'Dalila' is the top-ranking female there, as she only joined the group from Copenhagen in 1991 as an adult. You would think she would have stayed below the original females in the ranking. I think only Mintha, Mandji, Lobo and Mouila-the last now in the Taronga Park group, are survivors of the original group. Both the males, Bongo and Balu are dead.
But its a hugely successful group in terms of breeding.
I don't have access to an EEP studbook, but I have data which is pretty much as good...