Gorillas versus Monkeys in mixed exibits.

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Pertinax

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Does anyone know of examples of (specifically) Gorilla exhibits containing monkeys where a Monkey(or more than one) has been killed by the Gorillas?

I know of two at least; MElbourne(de Brazza) & Port Lympne(Colobus)

Any others?
 
I never heard about either case. Id say it is something they would very much want to keep quiet! I can imagine the press headlines! It would disasterous for the zoo!
 
Mwah, Beekse Bergen's Sloth bear attacked and killed a resus macaque not that long ago. They got a little bad press from a very shocked young visitor but other then that there wasn't a lot of commotion.

Considering the number of zoo's that i know that combine their gorilla's with other animals (at least 4 that i can think of quickly) it doesn't seem to happen a lot...
 
Didn't a Sloth bear in London kill a Muntjac that was sharing the exhibit?
And when do London plan to mix the Colobus with the Gorillas?
I've never heard of an attack on Monkeys by Gorillas before either.
 
jwer said:
Considering the number of zoo's that i know that combine their gorilla's with other animals (at least 4 that i can think of quickly) it doesn't seem to happen a lot...
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If it was frequent I'm sure zoos wouldn't have these mixed exhibits at all. I'm just trying to establish how many(if any) other incidents of this nature there have been.
 
Vulpes said:
It would disasterous for the zoo!
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In the Port Lympne case, the Gorilla later concerned died(after moving to London Zoo) and on p.m. he was found to have Hepatitis B. He was born in captivity so did he contract this from the Colobus monkey? (he partially ate it).
 
I vaguely remember Diana monkeys being mixed with gorillas at Edinburgh resulting in a monkey death and subsequent separation - I cannot be certain though .
 
Bele said:
I vaguely remember Diana monkeys being mixed with gorillas at Edinburgh resulting in a monkey death and subsequent separation - I cannot be certain though .
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They definately mixed them at one stage, I'd be interested if anyone can confirm if there was a death. This thread & enquiry is the result of hearing Valencia are proposing to mix Hamlyn's Owl- faced monkeys with their gorillas- I think it is foolhardy with such a numerically rare(in zoos) monkey species.
 
I am totally against ANY mixed mammal species exhibits - they are interesting for the public but there is ALWAYS bullying/niggle going on. It's not fair on the animals and I have no respect for zoos which put the public first at the expense of the animals.
(The only way it would be acceptable would be if the average zoo enclosure was a hell of a lot bigger than it usually is - even then I would have reservations.)
 
Ara said:
I am totally against ANY mixed mammal species exhibits - they are interesting for the public but there is ALWAYS bullying/niggle going on. It's not fair on the animals and I have no respect for zoos which put the public first at the expense of the animals.
(The only way it would be acceptable would be if the average zoo enclosure was a hell of a lot bigger than it usually is - even then I would have reservations.)
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I don't think there is always bullying around, I think it depends on the species that are being paired up. At the Los Angeles Zoo they used to exhibit a female bongo and a female RR hog because the zoo didn't have partners for either of the two. They were both great friends and loved eating and sleeping together. Also when a male babirusa died the zoo paired a young female lowland anoa with the female babirusa and it also resulted in a good combination. Both were great for the animals, because they were never alone.

This is a pic of the bongo and RR hog in the LA zoo website:
Contact Us - Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Regarding the Gorillas and Monkeys, I know that the Detroit zoo has Mandrills in with their gorillas but I've never heard of any altercation.
 
mstickmanp said:
Regarding the Gorillas and Monkeys, I know that the Detroit zoo has Mandrills in with their gorillas but I've never heard of any altercation.
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See I would of thought that would of caused problems.

Vulpes@ When did anyone say the incident was accidently??? :confused:
Where you have mixed species enclosures the zoos are aware that it may cause conflicts.
 
In the Port Lympne case the Gorilla 'Jomie' was living( I think) in the circular ex chimp cage. According to 'HELP' 'he caught and killed a colobus monkey'- I believe it said he partially ate it too. It is an enclosed cage so probably easier to trap the monkey than in open enclosures. I also have a feeling they may have had a similar bad experience with Diana monkeys/Gorillas.

Mandrills- are big and aggressive enough to defend themselves, so probably also are Mangabeys and I should have thought Colobus too. Its the smaller Guenons which I think are most at risk.

Howletts used to keep both Spot Nosed and Samango Monkey in with gorilla groups-the Samangos at least have been removed.
 
the samangos were removed as they bullied the gorillas
 
Duisburg has gorillas and black mangabeys.

Rotterdam planned mixing gorillas with spot-nosed guenons although I have no idea if it finally happened.
 
taun said:
See I would of thought that would of caused problems.

Vulpes@ When did anyone say the incident was accidently??? :confused:
Where you have mixed species enclosures the zoos are aware that it may cause conflicts.
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Interesting I always think of gorillas as gentle giants! Thought he may have killed it during a display, run iver it or something! He must have premeditated eating it. Is there records of them hunting in the wild like chimps?
 
He may not have eaten the monkey though, he might've just bitten him out of aggression and infected blood would still have passed into his system...
 
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