Taronga Zoo gorilla birth?

J

jay

Well-Known Member
20+ year member
Caught the end of a news bulletin, has there been a gorilla birth at Taronga recently?
 
Yep, a female. She is 10 days old. I can't find a news article on it but I think she has been named Mapenzi or something similar.
 
Her name is Kipenzi.

Taronga's Gorilla birth gives new year conservation hope
Jan 25 2011 - 9:38am

A tiny female Western Lowland Gorilla has been born at Taronga Zoo.

Born to experienced mother ‘Kriba’ on Saturday 15 January, the youngster has been named ‘Kipenzi’ which means ‘precious one’ in Swahili.

At just ten days old, the infant and mother, Kriba, are both well and visitors can expect to see glimpses of the newborn in coming days.

The baby is Kriba’s 5th and the 8th born since the group arrived at Taronga from Appenheul in Holland in December 1996.

The Zoo’s Director, Cameron Kerr, said: “With Gorillas under immense pressure in Africa, each birth is a small step in the efforts by world zoos to provide some level of insurance for a sustainable future for these remarkable great apes.”

“Taronga is part of the European Species Management Program for these Gorillas. We’re also part of the They’re Calling You Program which encourages people to recycle mobile phones to contribute funds to Gorilla conservation and reduce demand for minerals used in the manufacture of some phones.”

The youngster was sired by Taronga’s redoubtable Silverback, ‘Kibabu’. The majestic male, weighing over 200 kg is world-renowned for his outstanding leadership of the Zoo’s Gorilla group.

Primate Keeper, Lisa Ridley, said: “The group is very interested in the newborn. Like humans, much maternal behaviour is learned, so one of the great values of our well-balanced group is the opportunities young females have to watch experienced mothers like Kriba raising her baby.”

“Kriba’s six year old offspring, ‘Kimya’, sister to the newborn is especially interested and stays close to Mum and baby, watching their every move. This is an excellent life lesson for Kimya since in the future she will also play a role in the breeding program, and who better to learn from than your mother?”

“Young males also have a great chance to learn to be an excellent Silverback by watching how Kibabu makes sure the environment is safe and calm for the new arrival. For male offspring, he is an excellent role model and not above playing with the youngsters when he thinks we’re not looking. If he sees us watching, he quickly reverts to the serene, watchful Silverback mode.”

In the wild, Gorillas are threatened by habitat loss to illegal mining and logging as well as by forest clearance for farming. They’re also victims of the cruel pet trade and the unsustainable Bushmeat industry.”

Lisa said: “The roads driven into dense forests where gorillas survive bring with them hunters and poachers. Alarmingly, gorilla and other bushmeat is turning up in Europe where people pay top dollar to eat these endangered animals.”

Taronga’s Gorilla group is changing and in 2013, it is expected Kibabu will be transferred to Orana Park in New Zealand to establish one of the region’s first bachelor groups, imitating what would occur in the wild. A new male, probably from Europe, will take over the group leadership at Taronga.

To learn more about Taronga’s gorilla and the Zoo’s work with these near-relatives of humankind, visit the Zoo to hear the daily keeper talk, log on to Taronga Conservation Society Australia to learn more about the species, Taronga’s conservation programs and find out how to recycle your old mobile phone
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| Taronga Conservation Society Australia

Maybe this explains why the gorillas are off display?
 
UrMumzAGoat said:
That explains why they were off-display!!! I am surpised that they did not announce her pregnancy.
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Why Surprised??? More often than not the public is not made aware of births until up to 3 months after the fact. This does not apply to all species It is difficult to hide a baby giraffe or a baby elephant, but even then, if the animal is on display they will often wait a week or so before releasing a media statement.
 
Jarkari said:
Why Surprised??? More often than not the public is not made aware of births until up to 3 months after the fact. This does not apply to all species It is difficult to hide a baby giraffe or a baby elephant, but even then, if the animal is on display they will often wait a week or so before releasing a media statement.
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I thought that a well-known species and a popular one at Taronga at that would have a pregnancy announced just like they announce it overseas (eg. M'juku at London).
 
Because if there is a complication and the animal is stillborn, or dies a few hours/days after birth, announcing it's death is not something zoos like to do. Especially in school holidays when people might make a special trip just to see the new baby.

Hix
 
Hix said:
Because if there is a complication and the animal is stillborn, or dies a few hours/days after birth, announcing it's death is not something zoos like to do. Especially in school holidays when people might make a special trip just to see the new baby.

Hix
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Ah, yes, that is one reason against announcing pregnancys (sp?). I wasn't criticising Taronga in any way, I just thought they would announce a pregnancy. Apologise to anyone who thought I was criticising Taronga at all. And it must have been exciting to zoo visitors as she was born out on exhibit! I will be going this weekend so it is perfect timing for me :D!!!

Anyone know if the other females are on contraceptives?

EDIT: This is off-topic but I thought it was interesting to see Haoko at Ueno Zoo (one of the two blackbacks that left for Japan) has matured into an impressive silverback and there are many videos on Youtube with him playing with his off-spring. Another interesting thing to note is he does not look anything like his father!
 
UrMumzAGoat said:
EDIT: This is off-topic but I thought it was interesting to see Haoko at Ueno Zoo (one of the two blackbacks that left for Japan) has matured into an impressive silverback . Another interesting thing to note is he does not look anything like his father!
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Gorillas can closely resemble either parent- just like people. (Or they can even look more like a grandparent or other relative too.)

One female can produce different-looking offspring- some looking like the father, others like the mother etc.

In wild groups they tend to all look far more alike as they are more closely related- more like a 'race' of people, wheras captive ones usually originate from different sources so often have more distinctive individual features.
 
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I wish they would not refer to 'Kibabu's forthcoming transfer to a bachelor group in New Zealand as 'imitating what would happen in the wild...'

On the one hand they say he is a model father and group leader, then that he's leaving to form/join a bachelor group. In fact a silverback with strong leadership tendencies would stay with his group until he's too old to manage it effectively and is finally replaced by either an outsider or even one of his own adult male offspring.. Both Kibabu and Motaba at Melbourne will/have been forced to relinquish their groups of females and offspring with which they have strong bonds, while still in their prime- its a bit like forcing a human father to be removed from his family.

It may be necessary genetically but lets not pretend this mirrors behaviour in the wild- as it doesn't. Its a platitude to allay complaints of cruelty.
 
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Pertinax said:
I wish they would not refer to 'Kibabu's forthcoming transfer to a bachelor group in New Zealand as 'imitating what would happen in the wild...'

It may be necessary genetically but lets not pretend this mirrors the wild- as it doesn't. Its a platitude to allay complaints of cruelty.
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I was going to post much the same thing yesterday but didn't get round to it :D
 
Pertinax said:
Gorillas can closely resemble either parent- just like people. (Or they can even look more like a grandparent or other relative too.)

One female can produce different-looking offspring- some looking like the father, others like the mother etc.

In wild groups they tend to all look far more alike as they are more closely related- more like a 'race' of people, wheras captive ones usually originate from different sources so often have more distinctive individual features.
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I think he might resemble his grandparents as he does not look anything like both parents!:D

Although his daughter looks similar to him.....
 
UrMumzAGoat said:
I wasn't criticising Taronga in any way, I just thought they would announce a pregnancy. Apologise to anyone who thought I was criticising Taronga at all.
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I didn't think you were criticising, just asking a question. And I consider it a valid question - in fact, I asked Taronga's PR spokesperson that exact same question almost 30 years ago in relation to a newborn chimp.

:p

Hix
 
Hix said:
I didn't think you were criticising, just asking a question. And I consider it a valid question - in fact, I asked Taronga's PR spokesperson that exact same question almost 30 years ago in relation to a newborn chimp.

:p

Hix
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Good to know. I can always count on you guys for steering me in th right direction.

I will be going to Taronga on Sunday so I will try and get some decent photos of her and the rest of the troop.

Now getting off-topic once again but Melbourne will need to get a new breeding male (possibly a joint importation of 2 silverbacks from Europe with Taronga once Kibabu and 2 of his sons go across the ditch) and possibly some new breeding females.

Back on topic: What age do gorillas start breeding from? I would imagine that by the time a new silverback is acquired that Kimya will be able to breed but Kipenzi will only be 2 years old so some careful introductions will need to be made, although I think they were lucky it was a female as I do not know how the new male would react to another male's son, and she could be a vital breeding female for Taronga in the future.
 
UrMumzAGoat said:
I will be going to Taronga on Sunday
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Along with the previous three Sundays, the worst day of the year to visit.

If it's still sunny, expect crowds of up to 10,000.

All I can suggest is to be there bang-on opening time, and plan to leave by 11:00.

:p

Hix
 
UrMumzAGoat said:
Back on topic: What age do gorillas start breeding from? I would imagine that by the time a new silverback is acquired that Kimya will be able to breed but Kipenzi will only be 2 years old so some careful introductions will need to be made, although I think they were lucky it was a female as I do not know how the new male would react to another male's son, and she could be a vital breeding female for Taronga in the future.
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Maturity in Gorillas;

Males can be fertile from 8 years onward(sometimes even younger still) though not fully mature until 12-15. In the wild only fully mature males normally control their own groups.

Females- start breeding around 8 years old (can sometimes be fertile younger, especially handraised ones). Will continue breeding into their forties.

I think Melbourne will persist trying to obtain young from Rigo for some time to come. By the time a new male arrives at Taronga, this most recent baby should already be nearing the end of the 'danger' time for introducing new males but they'll still need to be careful- a new silverback isn't choosy about what sex unrelated infants are if he is aggressive. Taronga's 3 older females are still not too old to carry on breeding with a new male, while Kimya will be ready to start.
 
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Hix said:
Along with the previous three Sundays, the worst day of the year to visit.

If it's still sunny, expect crowds of up to 10,000.

All I can suggest is to be there bang-on opening time, and plan to leave by 11:00.

:p

Hix
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Complete with 3 baby elephants and a new baby gorilla!

Regardless, I am going and I will have an enjoyable day, but I will try to go by myself to the keeper talks.
 
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