Chimps tea party

[Strathmorezoo]

Everybody is aware of the chimps tea party infact any zoo that kept chimps held a
chimps tea party of some description or other. My question is bearing in mind how these animals were housed, were the chimps exploited, or did they enjoy a form of enrichment that they would otherwise not had

 

[birdsandbats]

Everybody is aware of the chimps tea party

I've never heard of this before now. Was this ever really a common thing?

 

[Wisp O' Mist]

I've never heard of this before now. Was this ever really a common thing?

It was once a common enough practice to warrant a Wikipedia article about it - Chimpanzees' tea party - Wikipedia

Also, don't Australia and New Zealand's captive chimpanzee populations descend from "tea party chimps"?

 

[Strathmorezoo]

I've never heard of this before now. Was this ever really a common thing?

The chimps tea party started at London Zoo in 1927 and it caught on in other large zoos in the UK up until the mid 1970s

 

[Haliaeetus]

In the small Zoo de Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (Southern France), there used to be a "chimps tea party" until the early 1990's.
It was a circus-like show that involved a family of 3 chimps (a pair and their actual child), that wore clothes and executed various tricks. Then the keeper gave them food and drinks, the apes sat on a table and ate/drank them. After the baby chimp went to mock toilets and put a chamber pot over his/her head, that was the final scene of the show.
The show stopped when the male started to show signs of aggressiveness, then the chimps were phased out shortly after. I don't know what happened to them.
When they didn't perform their "show" the chimps were in a glass cage of 20/30 m² that was viewable by the visitors, so they were housed in bad conditions (but common in French zoos of this time). This cage housed a single Mandrill in the following years, then it was demolished.

 

[Strathmorezoo]

In the small Zoo de Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (Southern France), there used to be a "chimps tea party" until the early 1990's.
It was a circus-like show that involved a family of 3 chimps (a pair and their actual child), that wore clothes and executed various tricks. Then the keeper gave them food and drinks, the apes sat on a table and ate/drank them. After the baby chimp went to mock toilets and put a chamber pot over his/her head, that was the final scene of the show.
The show stopped when the male started to show signs of aggressiveness, then the chimps were phased out shortly after. I don't know what happened to them.
When they didn't perform their "show" the chimps were in a glass cage of 20/30 m² that was viewable by the visitors, so they were housed in bad conditions (but common in French zoos of this time). This cage housed a single Mandrill in the following years, then it was demolished.

I'll take this as exploitation

 

[Haliaeetus]

I'll take this as exploitation

Yes it was a poor show even if it was popular - and didn't shock the public - in this time.
During the same period one could watch on French TV commercials for OMO-Micro washing powder (!) with chimps talking in some kind of African-type "pidgin" (colloquially called "petit nègre" in French).

 

[Strathmorezoo]

It was once a common enough practice to warrant a Wikipedia article about it - Chimpanzees' tea party - Wikipedia

Also, don't Australia and New Zealand's captive chimpanzee populations descend from "tea party chimps"?

I'm afraid I don't know the answer to this

 

[FBBird]

I'm afraid I don't know the answer to this

It’s probable. London Zoo used to export experienced tea party chimps

 

[Strathmorezoo]

It’s probable. London Zoo used to export experienced tea party chimps

Where from?

 

[Tim May]

Also, don't Australia and New Zealand's captive chimpanzee populations descend from "tea party chimps"?

It’s probable. London Zoo used to export experienced tea party chimps

In his book "Animals as Friends: A Head Keeper Remembers London Zoo" (James Alldis; 1973) the author describes taking four of London Zoo's tea party chimps to New Zealand, the chimps having been purchased by Wellington Zoo.

 

[Strathmorezoo]

In his book "Animals as Friends: A Head Keeper Remembers London Zoo" (James Alldis; 1973) the author describes taking four of London Zoo's tea party chimps to New Zealand, the chimps having been purchased by Wellington Zoo.

Thanks for that, so what do you think exploited or enriched?

 

[FBBird]

Thanks for that, so what do you think exploited or enriched?

Both, but the chimpanzees would have been hand reared, probably wild caught, and less likely to have normal social lives as adults. The tea parties were discontinued by ZSL to promote breeding and parent rearing

 

[Strathmorezoo]

Both, but they chimpanzees would have been hand reared, probably wild caught, and less likely to have normal social lives as adults. The tea parties were discontinued by ZSL to promote breeding and parent rearing

Thanks for your response

 

[Tim May]

Thanks for that, so what do you think exploited or enriched?

I think a bit of both.
It's obviously preferable to keep animals in natural social groups but I think the tea parties probably provided some behavioural enrichment for the chimps.

 

[Strathmorezoo]

I think a bit of both.
It's obviously preferable to keep animals in natural social groups but I think the tea parties probably provided some behavioural enrichment for the chimps.

I totally agree, in my opinion, because on the whole the housing was poor and the animals being so intelligent they probably looked forward to the party

 

[Lafone]

This is an interesting article,

Our changing attitudes to chimpanzees

And covers the Twycross chimps that were used in the PG Tips TV adverts that were all over UK TV up to the 80's.

Twycross interviews in other places suggest the work with chimps had a subsequent poor effect on their behaviour.

No more chimps tea parties as Twycross Zoo celebrates 50 years

Now a registered charity, Twycross has gained an international reputation for its breeding and welfare programme and chief executive Sharon Redrobe said: “We have come a long way since being renowned for providing the chimpanzees for the PG Tips’ TV adverts.
“Those animals were then three or four years old but we now know that chimps find it difficult to be natural when they are reared with people.

The last advert chimp died in 2016. They did integrate her into a larger group of chimps but it reads like it took some work.

Last original PG Tips chimp Choppers dies at Twycross Zoo

PG Tips continued to use chimps after Twycross stopped providing them. Up to 2003.

I really dislike performing animals existing only for people to laugh and point. Dressing chimps up in clothes for this sort of thing always struck me as grim. And the collars and chains in some of the old photos from other zoos don't thrill me. A personal view of course.

 

[Strathmorezoo]

This is an interesting article,

Our changing attitudes to chimpanzees

And covers the Twycross chimps that were used in the PG Tips TV adverts that were all over UK TV up to the 80's.

Twycross interviews in other places suggest the work with chimps had a subsequent poor effect on their behaviour.

No more chimps tea parties as Twycross Zoo celebrates 50 years

Now a registered charity, Twycross has gained an international reputation for its breeding and welfare programme and chief executive Sharon Redrobe said: “We have come a long way since being renowned for providing the chimpanzees for the PG Tips’ TV adverts.
“Those animals were then three or four years old but we now know that chimps find it difficult to be natural when they are reared with people.

The last advert chimp died in 2016. They did integrate her into a larger group of chimps but it reads like it took some work.

Last original PG Tips chimp Choppers dies at Twycross Zoo

PG Tips continued to use chimps after Twycross stopped providing them. Up to 2003.

I really dislike performing animals existing only for people to laugh and point. Dressing chimps up in clothes for this sort of thing always struck me as grim. And the collars and chains in some of the old photos from other zoos don't thrill me. A personal view of course.

This is a very good point but I suppose as Tim May said the animals probably gained some behavioural enrichment

 

[Zoofan15]

It was once a common enough practice to warrant a Wikipedia article about it - Chimpanzees' tea party - Wikipedia

Also, don't Australia and New Zealand's captive chimpanzee populations descend from "tea party chimps"?

I'm afraid I don't know the answer to this

It’s probable. London Zoo used to export experienced tea party chimps

In his book "Animals as Friends: A Head Keeper Remembers London Zoo" (James Alldis; 1973) the author describes taking four of London Zoo's tea party chimps to New Zealand, the chimps having been purchased by Wellington Zoo.

New Zealand - Chimpanzee Tea Parties

There were three imports of tea party chimps into New Zealand by Auckland and Wellington Zoo (all in the 1950’s):

——————————

In 1956, seven chimpanzees were imported:

Auckland Zoo:

1.0 Bobby (1955) Died 2004
0.1 Janie (1952) Died 2013
0.1 Minnie (1953) Died 1964
0.1 Josie (1954) Died 2000

No surviving offspring were produced by these chimpanzees.

Wellington Zoo:

0.1 Molly (1953) Exported 1966
0.1 Yoka (1953) Died 1979
0.1 Breena (1954) Died 1974

Each of these females bred, following the import of four males in 1957. Today, Breena has no living descendants; Molly has one living descendant in the region; Yoka has 25 known descendants (with a further five potential descendants pending paternity results).

——————————

In 1957, four chimpanzees were imported:

Wellington Zoo:

1.0 Tom (1950) Died 1990
1.0 Teddy (1952) Exported 1966
1.0 Mickey (1952) Died 1958
1.0 Bobby (1954) Died Unknown

Tom was Wellington Zoo’s alpha male and sired several infants. He has 28 known descendants (with a further five potential descendants pending paternity results). The other males have no living descendants.

These were the four chimpanzees you read about, @Tim May.

——————————

In 1959, four chimpanzees were imported:

Auckland Zoo:

1.0 Charlie (1957) Died 1961
1.0 Nick (1957) Died 1971
0.1 Siss (1957) Died 1971
0.1 Little Jane (1957) Died 1962

Charlie and Siss produced two offspring, of which two survived to adulthood - Suzie (1964-2010) and Sally (1970-2021). Suzie and Sally were handraised and never produced offspring, ending this line.

——————————

Auckland Zoo phased out tea parties in 1964 and Wellington Zoo followed in 1970. Though I disagree with the practice (and by then, so did the respective zoos), there was no doubt the chimpanzees found the performances enriching. Newspaper articles detail the difficulties in getting Auckland Zoo’s young male back to his cage.

Handraising creates a legacy of issues with regards to socialisation and behavioural non-breeding and both these zoos have long since adopted an ethos that zoos are places of conservation, not entertainment. Auckland and Wellington Zoo now have world class ape exhibits that promote natural behaviour.

 

[Strathmorezoo]

New Zealand - Chimpanzee Tea Parties

There were three imports of tea party chimps into New Zealand by Auckland and Wellington Zoo (all in the 1950’s):

——————————

In 1956, seven chimpanzees were imported:

Auckland Zoo:

1.0 Bobby (1955) Died 2004
0.1 Janie (1952) Died 2013
0.1 Minnie (1953) Died 1964
0.1 Josie (1954) Died 2000

No surviving offspring were produced by these chimpanzees.

Wellington Zoo:

0.1 Molly (1953) Exported 1966
0.1 Yoka (1953) Died 1979
0.1 Breena (1954) Died 1974

Each of these females bred, following the import of four males in 1957. Today, Breena has no living descendants; Molly has one living descendant in the region; Yoka has 25 known descendants (with a further five potential descendants pending paternity results).

——————————

In 1957, four chimpanzees were imported:

Wellington Zoo:

1.0 Tom (1950) Died 1990
1.0 Teddy (1952) Exported 1966
1.0 Mickey (1952) Died 1958
1.0 Bobby (1954) Died Unknown

Tom was Wellington Zoo’s alpha male and sired several infants. He has 28 known descendants (with a further five potential descendants pending paternity results). The other males have no living descendants.

These were the four chimpanzees you read about, @Tim May.

——————————

In 1959, four chimpanzees were imported:

Auckland Zoo:

1.0 Charlie (1957) Died 1961
1.0 Nick (1957) Died 1971
0.1 Siss (1957) Died 1971
0.1 Little Jane (1957) Died 1962

Charlie and Siss produced two offspring, of which two survived to adulthood - Suzie (1964-2010) and Sally (1970-2021). Suzie and Sally were handraised and never produced offspring, ending this line.

——————————

Auckland Zoo phased out tea parties in 1964 and Wellington Zoo followed in 1970. There was no doubt the chimpanzees found the performances enriching. Newspaper articles detail the difficulties in getting Auckland Zoo’s young male back to his cage.

Handraising creates a legacy of issues with regards to socialisation and behavioural non-breeding and both these zoos have long since adopted an ethos that zoos are places of conservation, not entertainment. Both zoos now have world class ape exhibits that promote natural behaviour.

Thanks, this is a very detailed answer