Lowland gorillas in Europe 2013

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Bagira (Münchener Tierpark Hellabrunn) gave birth on February 7th 2013 (not sure the exact day) a baby sired by Roututu.
 
Bitanu, Bitono, Popa, Jah, Imbizo and Baloo (Howletts Wild Animal Park) were moved on February 12nd 2013 to Ouwehands Dierenpark Rhenen (Netherlands). Visitors will be able to see gorillas from Easter on.
 
Willard said:
After the recent small "baby boom" in European zoos, here's another birth, on January 20 in Beauval, France to Inge and silverback Asato. - Info courtesy of Jane Dewar.
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Baby is a male and has now been named Kivu
 
Gorillas Land said:
Hakuna Matata (Tiergarten Stadt Nürnberg) was moved on February 21st 2013 to Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden.
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That could be to get her to breed as Nurenberg have not had any birth for many years- it seems unlikely while they have only the very old male 'Fritz' who is now one of the oldest males in Europe. That is speculative of course, as is the suggestion that Fritz's age may also be why the young female 'Louna' from Leipzig has now been sent there, perhaps temporarily-as it is probably an easy group for her to join, given old males are usually very tolerant.
 
Very sad news, particularly as this means the last chance for her genes to enter the European population has gone.

I am not sure this is the first C-section on a Gorilla in Europe (as stated here- unless they exclude the UK from Europe)- Bristol may have had one in the early 1980's with female'Diana' and baby 'Goliath', both survived. While a female at Jersey-'Nandi' may have had one also to deliver a stillbirth. There could be others too.
 
Pertinax said:
That could be to get her to breed as Nurenberg have not had any birth for many years- it seems unlikely while they have only the very old male 'Fritz' who is now one of the oldest males in Europe. That is speculative of course, as is the suggestion that Fritz's age may also be why the young female 'Louna' from Leipzig has now been sent there, perhaps temporarily-as it is probably an easy group for her to join, given old males are usually very tolerant.
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I think you are right about both females. I talked to the head keeper yesterday. Fritz treated Hakuna like a daughter, not a potential mate, and moreover I was told he is infertile. Louna was moved in also with regard to the era after Fritz, i.e. as a mate for the future silverback. I was assured though that the zoo has no plans to get rid of him, so he will spend his last years in Nuremberg without the trouble of another transfer. Apart from occasional arthritis Fritz is fine, he moves slowly but normally, and is still impressive to look at.
 
Willard said:
Fritz treated Hakuna like a daughter, not a potential mate, and moreover I was told he is infertile. Louna was moved in also with regard to the era after Fritz, i.e. as a mate for the future silverback. I was assured though that the zoo has no plans to get rid of him, so he will spend his last years in Nuremberg without the trouble of another transfer. Apart from occasional arthritis Fritz is fine, he moves slowly but normally, and is still impressive to look at.
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I think that is good management- moving a non-breeding female out and bringing in another even younger one, making use of Fritz' tolerance, but for breeding with a future male. Indicates forward planning.:)

I believe 'Fritz' may now be the 2nd(?) oldest male in Europe after 'Nico' at Longleat. Although he had six offspring, his genetic line is continued only through one daughter, 'Wilma' who was a breeding female at Munich Zoo but it does continue into subsequent generations.
 
Pertinax said:
I believe 'Fritz' may now be the 2nd(?) oldest male in Europe after 'Nico' at Longleat. Although he had six offspring, his genetic line is continued only through one daughter, 'Wilma' who was a breeding female at Munich Zoo but it does continue into subsequent generations.
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Exactly! Here is my tree for Fritz & his descendants:
Gorilla: Fritz (Version 2) | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And even if we agree on the UK being part of Europe :D Fritz is currently still the longest-serving troop leader, given that Nico lives alone.
 
Seems he has only 3 surviving Great Great Grandchildren?.:(

I visited Nurnberg once, circ 1968 when they had the trio of young Gorillas Schorsh, Liane and Delphi. 'Fritz' replaced 'Schorsh' after his death. I visited Munich on the same trip as Nurnberg and saw five(?) young Gorillas, one of the two males in that group would have been 'Fritz'.
 
Brief report from Prague

Kamba, who suffered a complicated stillbirth (with an emergency c-section) on February 24, has been back in the group since March 11. I was visiting the following day, and she seemed to be fine. She played with little Kiburi - who was being observed suckling on her! - and I saw her "begging" for taking care of Kijivu's babyboy. At least once while I was around she was allowed to take him :), and Kijivu was fine with that until curious Kiburi got too close to the baby.

You can see that moment in pictures #82 to #86 in my photo set on Flickr:
Zoo Prague: Gorillas 2013 - a set on Flickr
 
Chessington Kumba.

Willard said:
Sad news: I've been told that silverback Kumba has died.
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Oh wow!:( Not a surprise really given his age and failing health in recent years,(he suffered two strokes some years ago) but he was the 2nd oldest male in the UK. I remember when he arrived with his 'mate' Baffia' as tiny babies at Chessington circa 1969, as incumbents along with pairs of young Orangutans and Chimps, of their brand new, but ridiculously small 'modern' Ape House. As a mature male he was later transferred to London for some years where he fathered their first mother-raised babies, before returning to Chessington where he was the group Silverback for many years and fathered five more babies.(1.4) with Shani & Asili.

After he had a stroke in his older age, the females rejected him from the group, apparently the first recorded instance of this type. He recovered well but was later placed in 'retirement' with his old partner 'Baffia' and the two youngest of his children, and replaced as the breeding male by 'Damisi'.

His death leaves the way open for Chessington to have a single group now under 'Damisi'. The only obstacle to that is his son 'Kuni' aged 8+,(who was living with Kumba & Baffia & half-sister 'Kumili) but if he is transferred to a male group somewhere, elderly Baffia could rejoin the others provided they do not bully her, she was low-ranking before as she has no kin in either group (The young female Kumili has already left to Europe).

I presume for ease of management that this will be on the cards at some stage.
 
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Willard said:
Kamba, who suffered a complicated stillbirth (with an emergency c-section) on February 24, has been back in the group since March 11. I was visiting the following day, and she seemed to be fine. She played with little Kiburi - who was being observed suckling on her! - and I saw her "begging" for taking care of Kijivu's babyboy.
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It is such a shame she can never rear her own baby now, both genetically and for her as a would-be mother.:(
 
Female, Kabinda at Beauval gave birth to her third baby yesterday (21st March)

...the 8th birth at Beauval in six years! :D
 
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