Family of Gorillas to go back to the wild

This is awesome for a lot of reasons, not least of which is that their success in the wild should settle once and for all whether Aspinall enclosures are good for developing natural gorilla behaviours. :)

My tip is they will do just fine.
 
This is very exciting news, is this the first time a group (or even an individual) of captive-born gorillas have been released into the wild? The article states they have released 60 gorillas, but are these likely to be individuals rescued from poachers, etc?

While I fully expect the group to do very well in their new home, I do wonder how safe they will be. This is the first line of the article:

A family of gorillas are to return to Africa from rural Kent to repopulate a forest where the population has been decimated by poachers
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Which very much suggests that there is a high risk of poaching where they will be released, so I hope they will be adequately protected. The article doesn't really say anything about this though. Presumably they will have made all required arrangements regarding this anyway, and these are just unnecessary worries :confused:
 
zooboy28 said:
This is very exciting news, is this the first time a group (or even an individual) of captive-born gorillas have been released into the wild? The article states they have released 60 gorillas, but are these likely to be individuals rescued from poachers, etc?
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It is the first time a complete bonded group, comprising an adult male, females and their young, which have lived all their lives in captivity(apart from Djala they are all zoo-bred) will be introduced like this. The previous releases have mainly involved younger animals which never left Africa, but including several handraised young ones born at Howletts and sent back to Africa. These were formed into 'groups' before the releases started, but they were mostly of similar aged younger animals without males old enough to be proper group leaders, or offspring. So this group is significantly different in that respect, both in age structure and composition..

The article doesn't say when this transport will happen. It was originally billed for January 2013 so as its nearing the end of the month, it will presumably either happen very shortly now, or it will have been delayed a bit.
 
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zooboy28 said:
While I fully expect the group to do very well in their new home, I do wonder how safe they will be. This is the first line of the article:



Which very much suggests that there is a high risk of poaching where they will be released, so I hope they will be adequately protected. The article doesn't really say anything about this though. Presumably they will have made all required arrangements regarding this anyway, and these are just unnecessary worries :confused:
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I thought about this as well. I don't think it's a good idea to released gorillas (especially ones used to Humans) in an area with a known large population of poachers. Hopefully these guys know what they're doing.

~Thylo:cool:
 
The Aspinall Foundation supports a one million acre forest sanctuary in the Congo (I think that's where) so I assume they have a way to protect it and keep poachers as best they can. They have been doing this for years with individual gorillas and also release their captive bred black rhinos into another area of Africa (maybe Tanzania?).

For as long as I can remember zoos have been claiming one of their goals is to create backup populations for reintroduction when necessary. But it seems the two Aspinall parks are the only ones really doing it. I know there have been other collaborative efforts - przewalski horse, california condor, etc. But this is the only individual zoo I know of (counting Howletts and Port Lympne as one entity) that is making it a serious part of their own mission.
 
Arizona Docent said:
For as long as I can remember zoos have been claiming one of their goals is to create backup populations for reintroduction when necessary. But it seems the two Aspinall parks are the only ones really doing it. I know there have been other collaborative efforts - przewalski horse, california condor, etc. But this is the only individual zoo I know of (counting Howletts and Port Lympne as one entity) that is making it a serious part of their own mission.
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I know Beardsley has contributed to the reintroductions of Red Wolves, Golden Lion Tamarins, and Andean Condors (actually I don't think they've been released yet but they will soon). And Bronx is the only one who contributed to the reintroduction of the Kihansi Spray Toad (and let's not forget Bronx's contributions to the Plains Bison which they still continue to this day).

~Thylo:cool:
 
It is an interesting project and I think it has a chance of success, largely because Djala is wild-caught and fairly antipathetic to humans. This will make it difficult to intervene if there are problems, but I think he will keep the group of out of trouble.

Alan
 
ThylacineAlive said:
I know Beardsley has contributed to the reintroductions of Red Wolves, Golden Lion Tamarins, and Andean Condors (actually I don't think they've been released yet but they will soon). And Bronx is the only one who contributed to the reintroduction of the Kihansi Spray Toad (and let's not forget Bronx's contributions to the Plains Bison which they still continue to this day).

~Thylo:cool:
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Many zoos are admirable in what they release, but Aspinall is really taking it seriously. Other zoos have released those 3 animals Beardsley has released. Aspinall is taking it to a much larger level with a whole family of gorillas.
 
Arizona Docent said:
For as long as I can remember zoos have been claiming one of their goals is to create backup populations for reintroduction when necessary. But it seems the two Aspinall parks are the only ones really doing it. I know there have been other collaborative efforts - przewalski horse, california condor, etc. But this is the only individual zoo I know of (counting Howletts and Port Lympne as one entity) that is making it a serious part of their own mission.
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You've forgotten about Durrell/Jersey and the work they've done in the Mascarenes.

:p

Hix
 
Shame on you Arizona Docent: Durrell/Jersey did amazing work with the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation and Carl Jones on the Pink Pigeon, Echo Parakeet, the Mauritius Kestres, the Mauritius fody and now more recently with several reptile species.

To be fair Durrell has been taken their conservation work a lot further than other zoos. In such a way that it almost became a conservation organisation who also happen to have a zoo.

And please tell me you are aware of Gerald Durrell's books. If not get yourself some you will enjoy the reading a lot.
 
DDcorvus said:
To be fair Durrell has been taken their conservation work a lot further than other zoos. In such a way that it almost became a conservation organisation who also happen to have a zoo.
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They have indeed and over a long period of time too. The main difference is Howletts are doing it with much 'higher profile' species -rhinos and gorillas, so they get more of the limelight. There are also plans to reintroduce some of their Langurs to S.E. Asia.
 
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gentle lemur said:
It is an interesting project and I think it has a chance of success, largely because Djala is wild-caught and fairly antipathetic to humans. This will make it difficult to intervene if there are problems, but I think he will keep the group of out of trouble.
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I absolutely agree there.;) Some of the other males they have released that grew up in African animal orphanages have got themselves into all sorts of trouble after release by entering villages etc and have had to be recaptured and placed in semi-captive situations for their own, and peoples' safety. But these were unmated, 'roaming' males whereas the Djala group is self-contained and as you said, Djala is quite anti-people anyway, given his early background.

I couldn't see any of the other current Howlett's silverbacks/groups being such suitable candidates which is presumably why the Djala group was selected for this project. I think the very humanised female 'Emmie' in this group will not be going though, for obvious reasons- it says 'group of eleven' and her inclusion would make it twelve.
 
DDcorvus said:
...And please tell me you are aware of Gerald Durrell's books. If not get yourself some you will enjoy the reading a lot.
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Yes I have read a few of his books - thoroughly enjoyable and Durrell is quite a character. I also just finished reading the story of one of his associates, Jeremy Mallison. Although his life story with the Jersey animals is also interesting, his writing style is very dry. Great story, boring book - he should have hired a ghost writer.
 
I remember reading one of Mallinson's ear;ier attempts many years ago - it may have been called "Okavango Adventure" - and I remember at the time thinking he should have asked for some help from Durrell because he's so dry.

:p

Hix
 
Bad news :( just Tweeted by the Aspinall Foundation that 5 of the group have been killed by a wild male in an unprecedented attack on them... Full story still emerging at this time, but condolences to everyone involved

Quote: Djala family disaster in Gabon - 5 dead. Killed by lone rogue male gorilla. Unbelievable and unforeseeable behaviour by wild male
 
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