Monarto Safari Park Chimp Update at Monarto Zoo

Looks like a nice set-up. Isn't this the group they set up with some females coming from abroad- Holland?

How many are in the group now?
 
I believe they are mixed-race, I think the Australiasian region's population is a mixed bag where subspecies are concerned. The four females from the Netherlands may be pure West African? I've never heard the zoo mention anything about subspecies, I'm not sure it's a priority.
 
Baby chimps on the way, Soona or later | Adelaide Now
2 Feb 2012

Soona could soon be Monarto Zoo's first pregnant chimpanzee.

The 15-year-old yesterday had an operation to have a birth control implant removed from the inside of her left arm in the hope she will mother the offspring of the zoo's alpha male, Tsotsi.

Along with the three other female chimps which arrived from the Netherlands about 14 months ago, Soona has been on birth control since about the age of 10.

The females remained on birth control as the group integrated with the four males at the zoo.

Last year, the oldest female of the group, Zombi, had her implant removed but, despite several episodes of "swelling" - where her bottom grows to show she is in season and attract the males - she is yet to fall pregnant.

Monarto acting senior keeper of primates Laura Hanley said Soona provided another chance because she was already friendly with Tsotsi.

"Ideally we would like him to father the young," she said.

"Genetically the babies will be quite important. These are the first imported chimps from outside Australia that we've had for quite a while."

She said a successful pregnancy would provide new prospects for future breeding in zoos around Australia.

"The males have been showing a lot of interest in Zombi to the point we thought it was best to have two females off contraception," she said.

She said the other males among the group were also attempting to challenge Tsotsi for Zombi's attention, so having another breeding chimp would help disperse interest and increase the chances of a pregnancy among the group.

The endangered animals are slow breeders, giving birth once every five years.

A chimpanzee's gestation period is about eight months.

Mrs Hanley said chimpanzees used to be found all through Africa, but only around 250,000 remained.

She said chimpanzees shared about 98.5 per cent of their DNA with humans, so implants could work as birth control and testing for pregnancy was a simple urine test.

Also yesterday, prints were taken from Soona's hands and feet. The prints will be sold to raise funds.
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Interesting that once again, previous contraception may be hindering breeding in this group. I've come across various examples, particulaly in Great Apes and Big Cats, where it then causes a long delay in fertility being resumed. I think sometimes Zoos use contraception without giving too much thought to the longerterm after effects.
 
still, a lot better than the castration of males that the zoos here sometimes thoughtlessly use (hippo in NZ and greater kudu in Australia spring to mind!)
 
Having said that, we've just had news of another sucessful Gorilla birth in the UK to a female at Chessington who was only taken off contraception around 14th February last year; so in her case it only took a very short time (about three months) to become pregnant again.
 
Monarto Zoo have announced on their facebook page that the eldest of the four Dutch girls, Zombi, is pregnant. Fingers crossed that all will go well!
 
thats exciting. another breeding group apart from taronga can only be good for australia.
 
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