Mandrill group size in zoos

[DavidBrown]

Does anybody know what the largest group size of mandrills held in a zoo is? I'm wondering because I've read that they can aggregate into groups numbering hundreds of individuals and in zoos I have only see them in really small groups (usually one male and one or two females). I'm wondering if anybody has ever maintained a larger social group to mimic their social structure in the wild.

For that matter, what is the largest social group of monkeys that any zoo maintains? The largest group that I can remember seeing is the fantastic group of Gelada baboons at the Bronx Zoo.

Are there any primatologists here who can enlighten us on what the largest natural group dynamics of a primate species zoos have been able to replicate?

 

[snowleopard]

I have probably never seen more than 5 mandrills in the same enclosure, but a handful of zoos in Europe have massive troops of various other primates. Singapore Zoo has about 90 Hamadryas baboons in a single exhibit.

Check out this photo (and its comments):

http://www.zoochat.com/40/great-rift-valley-ethiopia-exhibit-46933/

 

[jusko88]

columbus zoo def has more than just 3 mandrills in there exhibit. Im gunna go out on a limb and it might not be a huge number but maybe 8 mandrills in the exhibit at columbus zoo.

 

[Chlidonias]

Does anybody know what the largest group size of mandrills held in a zoo is? I'm wondering because I've read that they can aggregate into groups numbering hundreds of individuals and in zoos I have only see them in really small groups (usually one male and one or two females). I'm wondering if anybody has ever maintained a larger social group to mimic their social structure in the wild.

if I remember the research right, the congregations of hundreds of mandrills are composed of females and juveniles. The males tend to live separately (alone) and join up with the groups for breeding.

I think you'll find that in zoos (generally speaking) most group-living animals are kept in small groups and only rarely in large wild-sized ones. (Another one of my bug-bears about zoos).

 

[TropicWorld54]

Disney's animal kingdom has at least five mandrills and there were two young mandrills climbing through the trees.
Brookfield has around 10 guinea baboons but the zoo is phaseing them out.

 

[PAT]

Does anyone know the exact number at Chester? That's probably the biggest group that I've seen anywhere and there exhibit is really nice too.

 

[OrangePerson]

Chester had 20 (6.10.4) in the annual stock list. I really like the big groups they have in the monkey house, so much richer for them and interesting for visitors.

Colchester have a good sized group too.

 

[mazfc]

I dont know any numbers (im sure someone here knows) but several safari parks maintain large mixed sex groups of monkeys (often macaques), though they have masses of space.

 

[Pertinax]

Colchester have a good sized group too.

Mandrills- Colchester's is the biggest group in the UK, usually 23-25 animals but only one adult male. They have sent a number to other zoos too, which keeps their own number stable. The original two females at Chester are a mother/daughter from this group.

Southport (in the past now as it closed) had/bred a large number of Mandrills, but they were divided into two smaller groups.

I would like to see this species kept more widely in Safari Parks, where the space would allow for really large troops to be built up, on a par with the large Rhesus Monkey or Savannah baboon groups which are commonly held in them.