Lowland gorillas in Europe 2013

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niikkee said:
I read today that Prague gorillas will not be relocated to Dvur Kralove as previously reported, but will in fact remain at Prague. Operations to relocate the gorilla enclosure on higher ground at Prague is underway. And donations are welcomed.
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Both are welcome news. Its far less stressful for the group to stay put than have to be moved out, even if things are disrupted for them for a while.

Rebuilding for them on higher ground is essential now too.
 
N'Gayla (Burgers' Zoo) gave birth on June 13rd 2013 twin babies sired by Bauwi.

Kiu (Zoo Heidelberg) died on June 13rd 2013.
 
Prague

Pertinax said:
Both are welcome news. Its far less stressful for the group to stay put than have to be moved out, even if things are disrupted for them for a while. Rebuilding for them on higher ground is essential now too.
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I totally agree. I remember having read a posting on Facebook by a zoo official - not sure if it was the director himself - stating that they either want the city's assurance to build a flood protection for the zoo, or they will build a new gorilla enclosure on safe ground. Anyway, and for the time being, the current house doesn't seem to be severely damaged so the gorillas should be able to move in again soon. — It's good that at least they have the 'tower' (first floor). The whole family moved up there voluntarily, but Richard who had to be anaesthetised.
 
Willard said:
Here is a photo of the twins. It has already been confirmed that they are a female and a male.
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I wonder if she will be able to rear them both? There have been a few incidences of twin Gorilla births in the past but I believe all(or most)of them were handraised, due to the mother's disinterest when they were born. A female like her with good maternal instinct may succeed.
 
Those twins look strong and healthy; if their mother gets the right support from her keepers (and the rest of the group) perhaps she may be able to raise them both.

Alan
 
Arnhem twins

So far everything looks good:

(I hope it's okay to link videos here, if not, please let me know, Pertinax!)
 
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Its fine to link videos, but not too many though as I found on one thread with lots of videos that it slows it right down/jams it up and it freezes.

I find this fascinating and still wonder if she can rear both of them longerterm.
 
Wondering why u would think there is a long term issue, l would have thought the success of the first few days would be the telling point.

I can only imagine he excited the bean counters at Burgers Zoo would be about having twins!
 
zooman said:
Wondering why u would think there is a long term issue, l would have thought the success of the first few days would be the telling point.
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She may be able to cope with them while they are very tiny but not as they grow bigger and heavier when they may be more difficult for her to transport in the way a normal single young is carried. Or one might become neglected or weakened in favour of the other, though they look very equal at present-but there are plenty of things that could go wrong.

OR, with obvious extra support/feeding etc she might do a fine job with them!
 
zooman said:
Wondering why u would think there is a long term issue, l would have thought the success of the first few days would be the telling point.

I can only imagine he excited the bean counters at Burgers Zoo would be about having twins!
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In raising a kid a gorilla mother encounters different difficulties in all different stages of the coming years. So will do this experienced mother with a twin. Among many factors it will depend on her, the group, the leader, health.
 
I went to Burgers' again today (the photo Willard posted, and one of the videos he posted are mine, taken Friday). Today they still looked good!

They both drink good. The boy a bit more than the girl. But nothing to worry about (yet?).

She has a tough job carrying them both. Most of the time when she wants to move from one spot to another, she just shuffles over the floor with her buttock (is that the correct nice way to say it? ;) ). But she also walks, carrying both of them in one arm.

She rests a lot during the day. But of course it was a very very hot day today so that might be the reason.

I can image that they'll move to her back sooner when they get bigger. The other baby in the group (a boy named Nukta, born 25 April, so now almost 8 weeks old) already is on the back of his mom Nimba when she's walking around. That's quick. Someone who observes them daily (coincidentally since 25 April) told me that Nimba moved him to her back after one month already!

N'Gayla is a good mom, she already raised 3 kids (2 of them still living in the group), so she'll do fine I think!
 
CindyNL said:
I went to Burgers' again today (the photo Willard posted, and one of the videos he posted are mine, taken Friday). Today they still looked good!

They both drink good. The boy a bit more than the girl. But nothing to worry about (yet?).

She has a tough job carrying them both. Most of the time when she wants to move from one spot to another, she just shuffles over the floor with her buttock (is that the correct nice way to say it? ;) ). But she also walks, carrying both of them in one arm.

She rests a lot during the day. But of course it was a very very hot day today so that might be the reason.

I can image that they'll move to her back sooner when they get bigger. The other baby in the group (a boy named Nukta, born 25 April, so now almost 8 weeks old) already is on the back of his mom Nimba when she's walking around. That's quick. Someone who observes them daily (coincidentally since 25 April) told me that Nimba moved him to her back after one month already!

N'Gayla is a good mom, she already raised 3 kids (2 of them still living in the group), so she'll do fine I think!
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Hi,

Thank-you for the updates and video, following this with great interest.
 
CindyNL said:
She has a tough job carrying them both. Most of the time when she wants to move from one spot to another, she just shuffles over the floor with her buttock But she also walks, carrying both of them in one arm.

I can image that they'll move to her back sooner when they get bigger. The other baby in the group (a boy named Nukta, born 25 April, so now almost 8 weeks old) already is on the back of his mom Nimba when she's walking around. That's quick. Someone who observes them daily (coincidentally since 25 April) told me that Nimba moved him to her back after one month already!
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That could be a problem as they get bigger. A female's body is only really designed to carry a single baby held close to the belly. Twins can't be held centrally like that, but have to be supported by the thighs more. Nor can she hold them both in her arm after they get bigger. But she might be able to get one onto her back at an early stage perhaps?

'Back-riding' doesn't normally happen for several months. Inexperienced or lazy mothers sometimes place very small young on their backs, but this position isn't normal for very young babies until they have a stronger grip and balance, and it sometimes indicates the mother is stressed.

But 'N'Gayla' is an experienced mother already- so if a female can rear twins successfully (I don't know of another that has done so?), she would be the ideal one to do so.;) My opinion is though that they may still have to remove one of them so she can care properly for just one of them.
 
There's a mountain gorilla doing a pretty good job of raising twins, they're at the rough and tumble age so I guess she managed to cope with them when they were tiny!
 
Pertinax said:
T

But 'N'Gayla' is an experienced mother already- so if a female can rear twins successfully (I don't know of another that has done so?), she would be the ideal one to do so.;) My opinion is though that they may still have to remove one of them so she can care properly for just one of them.
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A female in Atlanta zoo Kuchi raised twins Kali and Kazi :

[ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55226830@N00/2542707899/in/photolist-4SG3tn-4SG3tD-4SG3ut-4SL64C-dk14MN-9ypR4K"]Kali, Kuchi & Kazi | Flickr - Photo Sharing![/ame]
 
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