The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
Are there examples of Zoos building aerial pathways for Chimpanzees?
Australasian Western Lowland Gorilla Population
- Thread starter Zoofan15
- Start date
Not that I’m aware of. While chimpanzees can brachiate and make sleeping nests in trees, they’re not as arboreal as orangutans and gibbons.
While the escape of an orangutan or gibbon from an aerial pathway is highly undesirable (and unlikely); the implications would be far worse if it was a chimpanzee, which may also be a contributing factor.
Also bear in mind, orangutans are predominately solitary, travelling the pathway alone or in pairs. Chimpanzees are social and would travel in groups, with a high potential for (play) fighting, which could distract them/cause them to fall. They’d also be more likely to lob projectiles at anyone who offended them.
Artis Zoo in The Netherlands has an aerial tunnel over visitors’ heads, a bit different to the rope pathways used for orangutans. I worked as an intern that had overhead tunnel systems as well which the chimps spent a lot of time in; those were wider than those in Artis. I would be concerned about potential dead ends and chimps getting cornered— which was one of the reasons AFAIK why Adelaide Zoo didn’t proceed with their orangutan/siamang ‘o-line’.
Exactly, I had similar thoughts re. the concept. It doesn't take much for a chimp to be cornered and trapped on an aerial pathway, and obviously that's not something we'd want!
I’ve even read in husbandry guidelines for chimpanzees concerning exhibit design that round walls are preferable to corners, where a chimpanzee can get…well, cornered during an introduction context. Aerial pathways could be disastrous if a conflict was to arise.
Snowy's death comes to mind, as he apparently attempted to jump the moat after being cornered. It makes me think there's no reason why a chimp wouldn't do the same if cornered on an aerial pathway..
Last edited:
Moats have claimed the lives of three chimpanzees in the region (Snowy, Lobo and Mogli) and I fear the addition of aerial lines in this species could indeed lead to either a death; or worse, an escape, which would inevitable lead to the individual in question being shot in the interests of public safety. It’s probably for the best no zoos in the region are considering them.
ApeLadyNZ
Well-Known Member
My thoughts exactly; a jump from an aerial pathway is more likely to be attempted by a chimpanzee than an orangutan or gibbon and would be just as horrific as any of the moat incidents. Personally, I would never recommend such pathways for chimps.
The tunnel @marmolady describes would really be the only way to undertake this from a health and safety perspective (and even then not a good idea imo). Aside from the risk of a chimpanzee falling/jumping, I can only imagine how many people would be spat on (or worse) by the chimpanzees. A chimpanzee at Auckland once climbed to the top of its cage with a mouthful of water to spray a visitor. The man reportedly threatened to take legal action against the chimpanzee in question.
ApeLadyNZ
Well-Known Member
Exactly, tunnels would be a better idea than anything resembling Auckland's pathways. And indeed, chimps spitting, throwing things or other less pleasant displays of territoriality would be very likely (at Auckland Zoo, despite warning signs not to stand underneath orangutans or siamang when they are above on the ropes, many visitors have foolishly done so and been sprayed. I sometimes wonder if male siamang Intan decides to mark his territory intentionally when he's up there!
)That's a funny story about the spitting chimp! Do you know which year that happened in? From what I remember as a child, Susie was very fond of filling her mouth with water and spitting at visitors.
I’ll have to look through a Tiger by the Tail and see if I can find the story, though it didn’t name an individual or a date. I had assumed it was Charlie (father of Suzie and Sally), who according to the same book, had a habit of spitting at Turvey the orangutan under the dividing wall of their cages; however it could well have been Suzie!
Sailor at Taronga Zoo was notorious for spitting, which makes me wonder if they took inspiration in naming his daughter, Spitter, who was born in 1960.
ApeLadyNZ
Well-Known Member
Charlie also sounds a likely prospect. I do remember reading that part about him spitting at Turvey! Suzie may very well have taken after him in this, although Sally never seems to have developed this behaviour, and when I spoke to a Hamilton keeper some years ago, she seemed to have indicated that Suzie knocked off the spitting habit while living at Hamilton.
I always wondered the same about Spitter. I only got to see her once, on a visit to Taronga Zoo in the late '80s, but she was quite well-known even then. Back then, I thought Spitter was a nickname and that she had originally been called something else! Apparently, she was indeed known for spitting at visitors!
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
Depends on design. Adelaide's over head paths for Colobus and Tamarin are completely enclosed solid mesh.
Even more so, an enclosed singular pathway probably wouldn't work - it would be far easier for them to get cornered and trapped.
For other species like gorillas, it would probably work and you can look at Philadelphia as an example of a zoo that does this.
It would have to be a system with no dead ends— the same as tunnels used in back of house areas. It can certainly work; a couple of sanctuaries in the US use such systems for chimps, but a good amount of forethought would need to go into the design. Chimps being chimps, cleaning could be a considerable challenge!
Photo of Kibabu as an infant:
I saw a photo tonight that at first glance, I thought was a photo of Kibabu in his prime. It was his son Shabani in Japan, who’s a spitting image of him.
In searching for Kibabu photos, I came across this photo of him as a newborn with his mother:
BABY DOLL Gorilla gives birth to baby KIBABU, at Howley Park Zoo, pictured 31st May 1977 Stock Photo - Alamy
I thought it might be of interest to people since 10 of the 20 gorillas in the region descend from this female via her famous son.
I saw a photo tonight that at first glance, I thought was a photo of Kibabu in his prime. It was his son Shabani in Japan, who’s a spitting image of him.
In searching for Kibabu photos, I came across this photo of him as a newborn with his mother:
BABY DOLL Gorilla gives birth to baby KIBABU, at Howley Park Zoo, pictured 31st May 1977 Stock Photo - Alamy
I thought it might be of interest to people since 10 of the 20 gorillas in the region descend from this female via her famous son.
You can certainly see the resembalance in Kibabu through his mother, Baby Doll. And interestingly Mbeli (Shabani's full sister) also has a lot of Kibabu's facial features too.
Babydoll was actually also one of the world's oldest gorillas when she passed in 2018 aged 57. She was a surprisingly good mother despite being handraised by the Aspinall family, and her son, Kibabu, grew up to be a very good silverback as a result.
Frala’s daughters meanwhile look a lot like her. She’s quite a distinct female with a pronounced crest; especially compared to Mouila, who had a much rounder face.
Kriba clearly inherited much of her looks from her father as her face is distinct from her mother’s; but with a lot of similar traits to her five daughters. No behavioural trait runs stronger in Kriba’s line than the blocking of ears. I saw Kimya and Kanzi doing this at Melbourne and understand Kijivu in Prague does it when she’s overwhelmed.
Kibabu’s mother/upbringing:
In researching Howlett’s gorilla history, I came across this fascinating story about Kibabu’s mother, Baby Doll:
Remembering Babydoll By Richard Johnstone-Scott.
Kibabu was the first of Baby Doll’s eight offspring to survive to adulthood. A devastating flu epidemic struck the colony when Baby Doll was heavily pregnant with Kibabu, but fortunately both mother and infant survived.
Baby Doll wasn’t known as a gentle mother and due to being peer-raised, was very humanised; yet managed to rear a son who went on to become a highly successful silverback, noted by those working with him to demonstrate textbook leadership.
In a twist of fate, Baby Doll died November 2018. Kibabu had died three months prior in August 2018. There’s a photo of them together in this article.
In researching Howlett’s gorilla history, I came across this fascinating story about Kibabu’s mother, Baby Doll:
Remembering Babydoll By Richard Johnstone-Scott.
Kibabu was the first of Baby Doll’s eight offspring to survive to adulthood. A devastating flu epidemic struck the colony when Baby Doll was heavily pregnant with Kibabu, but fortunately both mother and infant survived.
Baby Doll wasn’t known as a gentle mother and due to being peer-raised, was very humanised; yet managed to rear a son who went on to become a highly successful silverback, noted by those working with him to demonstrate textbook leadership.
In a twist of fate, Baby Doll died November 2018. Kibabu had died three months prior in August 2018. There’s a photo of them together in this article.