*made a big blunder and missed 41 individuals from list, will re-work on and post again below later
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Melbourne Zoo Cottontop tamarins at Melbourne Zoo 1967-2011
- Thread starter steveroberts
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Phenomenal effort @steveroberts.
It’s interesting to note the number of founders sourced via animal traders in the 1960’s, prior to CITES coming into effect in 1975.
Really good research Steve!
I remember seeing an episode on this group specifically who were moved on display for a short period of time around 2011 in the temporary Tamarin enclosures opposite the former Elephant Barn after having lived off display for many years.
The episode detailed them having to settle back into life on display and consisted of a very successful breeding pair and their many children.
They seem to have been replaced by Melbourne's former breeding pair which arrived not long after. Not sure what happened to this group; whether they were moved off display again permanently or sent to another facility.
Indeed Julia was rescued from Belgium where she was being raised as a pet!
Yes, Julia was rescued by undercover conservation activists from an animal dealer/smuggler. She had an unfortunate start to life which severely impaired her socialisation. It’s ultimately had a flow on effect to her daughter, who was hand-raised/peer-raised and has struggled to form a bond with Kibale at Taronga Zoo.
Julia was of course rejected by Mzuri at Jersey; and Otana at Melbourne - the latter with fatal consequences.
Regarding that recent group, I can't remember them off the top of my head unfortunately. I think they did have Spanish themed names from the top of my head.
If I can somehow find the episode I might try and see for you however I watched it on TV a while back so not sure if it would be online.
I'm glad she got the opportunity to at least live within a community, even if it was far from normal socially.
Even getting the opportunity to raise her own offspring, albeit she took little to no interest in young Johari she still assisted in raising her once she got older. There was a lovely photo of Julia with the babies that's on the internet somewhere!
Thats ok man thanks anyway.
Hey I didnt actually count all the Cottontops born at Melbourne Zoo between 1970 and 2011 manually, my computer said ''Born at Melbourne Zoo'' 145 times but could be a glitch on my computer anyway. If you guys wanna count thats great otherwise will do it in the morning. Was thinking too perhaps all the unnamed individuals who died before 3 months old maybe should unbolden their names perhaps. (142 times thanks Zoofan', three were other mentions).
Theres about 8 matrillineal lineages there if counted correctly.
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In 2022, some of the names Alvaro (went to ZooDoo), Gomez (father of the troop), Arlo and Guapo (youngest infant at the time). This would be partially out of date now, but presumably they continued with the Spanish naming theme.
I’m open to correction, but looking at the ages of the individuals above, I’d be surprised. The youngest was born 2011. While I’m not sure if breeding to that group followed, if not, it’s worth noting that recommendations are rarely given to youngest offspring - the reason being that tamarins who have helped raise younger siblings make better parents.
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Gomez was transferred across to Adelaide in 2020.
Maybe with:
'Korako' (m) (born at the zoo to 'Rawene' in 2008; and sired with her at least once)
'Dera' (? still hadnt stated gender by 12/2011) (born at the zoo to 'Rawene' in 2010)
'Ebarima' (f) (born at the zoo to 'Rawene' in 2010)
'Naygiri' (f) (born at the zoo to 'Rawene' in 2010)
'Amaiya' (f) (born at the zoo to 'Rawene' in 2011)
They might be some of the individuals (wonder if 'Korako' or 'Dera' is in fact perhaps Gomez? if 'Dera' is/was a male, imagine much more likely 'Korako').
@Zoofan15 @Jambo
Sorry guys I missed (m) 'Korako' (b 2008) above as one of the individuals still at the zoo at end of 2011 when was listing those still there (added him in now), is he a candidate for being Gomez?.
'Korako' (m) (born at the zoo to 'Rawene' in 2008; and sired with her at least once)
'Dera' (? still hadnt stated gender by 12/2011) (born at the zoo to 'Rawene' in 2010)
'Ebarima' (f) (born at the zoo to 'Rawene' in 2010)
'Naygiri' (f) (born at the zoo to 'Rawene' in 2010)
'Amaiya' (f) (born at the zoo to 'Rawene' in 2011)
They might be some of the individuals (wonder if 'Korako' or 'Dera' is in fact perhaps Gomez? if 'Dera' is/was a male, imagine much more likely 'Korako').
@Zoofan15 @Jambo
Sorry guys I missed (m) 'Korako' (b 2008) above as one of the individuals still at the zoo at end of 2011 when was listing those still there (added him in now), is he a candidate for being Gomez?.
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I don’t know how the dates line up (i.e. if Gomez is that old); but demographically speaking he’s an ideal candidate in that his mother had a succession of offspring after him that he would have helped raise.
It’s unfortunate Melbourne (like many zoos) don’t list individuals of lesser profile species.
If it is him ('Korako') he did sire on the list at least once, after his sire ('Olarum') died in May 2011 ('Olarum' was neutered, didnt state when but must of been before November 2011, latest December 2010), the last two twins on the list are sired by 'Korako' with his dam 'Rawene'. 'Amaiya' (f) was the (as of last day of 2011) surviving one.
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Actually 'Dera' (born 2010) based on MZ's living tamarin inventory at bottom of studbook appears to be listed as one of females afterall; at first thought 2.5.1 meant ? gender still (was a bit tired lol) and her niece & half sibling 0.1 infant 'Amaiya' (b 1/6/2011) was listed as one of females, then remembered no she ('Amaiya') would be the one listed as 2.5.1.
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Actually from my records I can see Gomez was born in 2010 at Adelaide. There's a good chance it could be two different males! Sorry for the confusion.
Also my notes show the breeding female in the recent pair was 'Elena'.
Awesome thanks man, just found him
: 16513 (M) Birth 20 Jan 2010 (ADELAIDE) s:13884 & d:13363.His dam was born at Taronga in September '04 and arrived at Adelaide in November '06; & his sire was born at Mogo in December '03 and arrived at Adelaide in December '06.
His maternal grand-dam's (born at Taronga too in November 2000) own dam 'Sakira' was born at Melbourne in April '93 so is on the list above. So Gomez descends from 'Chumara's' line at MZ. In turn 'Chumara' herself was Gomez's 3x great grand-dam matrilineally ('Sakira's' mate at Taronga was born at Perth of MZ lineage too, Gomez's other three 'grandies' came from the US in early '000s).
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Since you listed a total of 142 births (including non-surviving), that’s a survival rate of just over 50%.
A few trends I’ve noticed across all zoos:
Twins are the most common and have a survival rate roughly comparable to single births.
Triplets have a very low survival rate.
Experienced parents have more success in raising young than first time breeders; though repeated failure has been observed in some pairs due to consistent factors (i.e. lack of maternal skills). On a related note, Auckland Zoo’s golden lion tamarin pair are siblings that were hand raised after their parents failed to raise previous litters. Neither have been paired with mates, and as I understand it, the plan is for them to remain together as non-breeding pair since they haven’t experienced a normal upbringing.
Oh cheers man appreciate you doing that so much, it seems like of those 142 birts between 1970 and 2011 there were 76 litters/pregnancies.