Gorillas held by companies rather than government or charitable trusts

[zooman]

With Busch gardens on the market. Just wondering what other collections are company owned zoos/parks?

Bio parc Valencia 1.2
Blackpool

 

[reduakari]

Disney's AK holds several gorillas, as does the Ferugrina (sp?) zoo in Spain (same corporate owner as Valencia).

 

[Dan]

Kolmården in Sweden keeps gorillas and is owned by an entertainment company.

 

[gentle lemur]

Chessington likewise. But of course there is a difference between keeping gorillas and owning them - and the same is true for many endangered species.

Alan

 

[Dan]

Absolutely! I should have mentioned that the "entertainment company" owning Kolmården acts perfectly serious as far as I can understand.
(Although I keep being concerned about "the new gorilla island" that I have tried to create interest about in the gallery and probably also in some thread in the forums - is it just an extension of a previously existing exhibit? I have not been to Kolmården since I was a child so I would really appreciate if someone with knowledge could clear this up for me... anybody????).

 

[Pertinax]

Chessington likewise. But of course there is a difference between keeping gorillas and owning them - and the same is true for many endangered species.

Alan

I think the majority of the Chessington gorillas are not owned by them. Through breeding loans and agreements several zoos (London, Jersey, possibly Chicago & Howletts) all had/have 'interests' in the group; The original pair 'Baffia' and 'Kumba' are owned by Chessington. London owned Lomie, the mother of one breeding female(Shani) and Kaja (the mother of the 2nd one, Asili) was born at Howletts, while their father was another 'Kumba', born at Jersey. The younger ones born there are probably owned according to their parentage. When the animal collection was going to be disbanded some years ago, there was rumour the Gorilla group might be split up accordingly- fortunately it didn't happen.

The most complicated move was probably the old female 'Kaja', born at Howletts. In those days Aspinall didn't part with female Gorillas, but I believe Lincoln Park, Chicago, owned 'Kaja' as her father 'Kisoro', who fathered all the early Howlett's young, was loaned to them by Lincoln Park Zoo. LP had other animal loans & arrangements(not gorilla related) with ZSL who at that time, pre EEP days, were trying to cordinate some local Gorilla exchanges. By involving Lincoln Park,they engineered Kaja's transfer into the Chessington group, at the same time as(ZSL's) own female 'Lomie' who was also living at Howletts. It helped that when John Aspinall socialised with her group at Howletts, Kaja was not friendly and would threaten him- so she became something of p.n.g. as far as he was concerned... the only other Howlett's bred female to leave the park during that era was Kishka who went to Jersey, but she was exchanged.

 

[zooman]

Absolutely! I should have mentioned that the "entertainment company" owning Kolmården acts perfectly serious as far as I can understand.
(Although I keep being concerned about "the new gorilla island" that I have tried to create interest about in the gallery and probably also in some thread in the forums - is it just an extension of a previously existing exhibit? I have not been to Kolmården since I was a child so I would really appreciate if someone with knowledge could clear this up for me... anybody????).

Have you seen the picture, of the gorilla island under construction. Posted in the gallery? It's a great informative pic. The Island does look small however.

 

[Pertinax]

Absolutely! I should have mentioned that the "entertainment company" owning Kolmården acts perfectly serious as far as I can understand.

Any information on Kolmarden gorillas? Do they still have the two males, Efata and Nasibu, living together in the small group?

 

[Dan]

To zooman:
Oh yes, I saw it and it was that very picture that triggered my interest. If the island is only an extension to an already existing outdoor enclosure, it might be OK in my opinion. But is it, or is it not? Anybody who knows? Pictures - if anybody has some?

To Pertinax:
Sorry, I don´t know anything about the individuals in the group. Can´t help you there.

 

[nicholas]

The Kolmården group consists of the two males, a breeding female (Naomi?), her young baby boy and two elderly females.

 

[Pertinax]

The Kolmården group consists of the two males, a breeding female (Naomi?), her young baby boy and two elderly females.

I think one of the old females 'Chiquita' died some years ago, leaving only 'Iris'. I would like to know if they are 100% certain which male is the father of Naomi's baby 'Enzo' and if a DNA test was ever done.

 

[jwer]

Many Dutch Zoo's are corporately owned, with Burgers' Zoo, Emmen and Safaripark Beekse Bergen as the most glaring examples. Burgers and Beekse Bergen both hold gorilla's, but as far as i can tell both handle that responsibility with flair, so what was the exact reason for this thread?

 

[zooman]

Many Dutch Zoo's are corporately owned, with Burgers' Zoo, Emmen and Safaripark Beekse Bergen as the most glaring examples. Burgers and Beekse Bergen both hold gorilla's, but as far as i can tell both handle that responsibility with flair, so what was the exact reason for this thread?

Hi Jwer, my interest was sparked as l said by the news that Busch gardens is on the market. Pure curiosity jwer.

Nothing to do with your asumption that it is in respect with there welfare.

I have Seen Busch Gardens Exhibit and met with the keepers on several occasions. Including behind the scenes where they seem to take extra care against disease, by wearing almost surgical style outfitts. The care of there gorillas and exhibit is a standard many other zoos woould aspire too.

 

[Pertinax]

Nothing to do with your asumption that it is in respect with there welfare.

Similarly, Chessington, which is primarily an Amusement Park,actually holds the most successful group of Gorillas in the UK after the Howletts and Port Lympne collections.