Mixed species exhibit with Chimpanzees?

Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Yes, you are right, definitely interspecific affiliative behaviour occurs between baboons and chimpanzees in the wild.

I remember when I read a few books by Jane Goodall a long time ago and there were several examples of strong bonds between infant chimps and baboons and even adult individuals mentioned in these, however, there were also cases mentioned of incidents of interspecific aggression that led to predation of infant baboons by chimpanzees.

I agree, as you rightly say though these kinds of affiliative behaviours may occur in the wild between these two species it is unlikely that they would within the restricted space of captivity.
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It’s interesting what interspecific interactions occur in captivity, especially between species which wouldn’t encounter each other in the wild.

Auckland Zoo once had a Jaguar exhibit next to their Chacma baboon exhibit. The Jaguar would stalk them through the bars, while the male baboons would posture and bark at him. The keepers commented the baboons weren’t unduly stressed; and it actually provided enrichment for both species.

If a chimpanzee mixed species exhibit cannot be achieved, it’s interesting to think (bearing in mind the example of the Jaguar and Chacma baboon), which species they’d enjoy watching/interacting with.
 
Zoofan15 said:
It’s interesting what interspecific interactions occur in captivity, especially between species which wouldn’t encounter each other in the wild.

Auckland Zoo once had a Jaguar exhibit next to their Chacma baboon exhibit. The Jaguar would stalk them through the bars, while the male baboons would posture and bark at him. The keepers commented the baboons weren’t unduly stressed; and it actually provided enrichment for both species.

If a chimpanzee mixed species exhibit cannot be achieved, it’s interesting to think (bearing in mind the example of the Jaguar and Chacma baboon), which species they’d enjoy watching/interacting with.
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Yes, it definitely is interesting to see these kind of behaviours.

That is interesting what you mention with regards to the baboon and the jaguar as I would have thought that given the superficial resemblance to the leopard the baboons would be feeling under threat.

In Brazil in a zoo where I worked there was a solitary chimpanzee housed in an enclosure next door to a small troop of Hamydryas baboons of which the alpha male and the chimp had a long standing hostility towards eachother and would show it through vocal and visual displays.

In that same zoo there were wild brown howler monkeys which would cross through the trees very close to the chimp enclosure and I always wondered whether the chimp felt any predatory instinct towards these monkeys but if it did then I never saw it.
 
Mixed-species exhibits are great if done right, serving as enrichment for animals while also creating cool exhibit designs that reflect the environments of their natural habitats.

However, as mentioned earlier, sometimes they're implemented poorly and almost rather pointlessly (as with the chimp/jackal scenario) and often lead to preventable and wasteful deaths. There's even a guide for mixing ungulates with other species online, and many have ended in failure (ex. antagonism, killings, intense competition, etc.) Precautions should also be taken in order to ensure that accidents are kept to a minimum, and that everyone's getting along.
 
No, I disagree. Many really don't work.

Zebra killing antelope calves being a well known one (and just off the top of my head, watching Secret Life of the Zoo, otters mixed with orangs or babirusa and then wild ass and camels all resulting in conflict).

I realise some of this is probably bigged up for the cameras, but I have also only recently mentioned in another thread the hippo that bit the trunk off an elephant sharing a mixed exhibit.

Even at home, I quickly learned not to let my lovebirds out at the same time as my budgies, as the lovebirds are aggressive towards other birds.

I think the risks outweigh the benefits in many cases.

And I think getting exercised about me using the word cage is way over the top. I do not view it as an emotive word.

All pens, enclosures, habitats, walk through, tropical worlds, safari parks, reserves, aquaria, etc are all cages. Pretty it up any way you want, it's still a variation on a theme.
 
To rebound, I partially agree with you, but at the same time, even social animals even amongst their own kind aren't always going to get along.

I agree that it's pretty risky to combine zebras with other animals (though with calf mortalities this could be prevented by separating the expecting mothers into their own birthing pens), and frankly I disagree with combining most carnivorans with any other species in enclosures, I feel there's just too many risks involved. But if two species don't mind each other or even benefit from one another (ex. cheetahs and jackals being raised by dogs, some aquarium setups, etc), does it really matter in the end?
 
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GaryA said:
No, I disagree. Many really don't work.

Zebra killing antelope calves being a well known one (and just off the top of my head, watching Secret Life of the Zoo, otters mixed with orangs or babirusa and then wild ass and camels all resulting in conflict).

I realise some of this is probably bigged up for the cameras, but I have also only recently mentioned in another thread the hippo that bit the trunk off an elephant sharing a mixed exhibit.

Even at home, I quickly learned not to let my lovebirds out at the same time as my budgies, as the lovebirds are aggressive towards other birds.

I think the risks outweigh the benefits in many cases.

And I think getting exercised about me using the word cage is way over the top. I do not view it as an emotive word.

All pens, enclosures, habitats, walk through, tropical worlds, safari parks, reserves, aquaria, etc are all cages. Pretty it up any way you want, it's still a variation on a theme.
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Yes, the key phrase here I think is "many don't work" which is not the same as "every mixed species exhibit doesn't work".

I would also add that intraspecific aggression occurs in zoos too and is just as common and is that a valid an argument against keeping captive animals in groups ?

I think not.
 
Sadly same species violence is also common, even if accidental, such as the female tiger killed at London by a new mate.

But there is no way to avoid that risk.

Mixing creatures that are known to show aggression or experimenting with disperate species such as the former owner of South Lakes did for no good reason, I just see as foolhardy.

These lives are especially precious and to try and force something unnatural purely for aesthetics I find upsetting.

I am referring in particular the initial concept of this thread i.e. why would anyone even want to mix chimps with another animal? What would be the net gain for them, or for the other animal?

Yes, some animals will co-exist peacefully, or just basically ignore each other but they wouldn't be highly strung, potentially violent ones such as chimpanzees.

I was always surprised at the Bateular Eagle in the Snowden Aviary with all the waterfowl and waders. I don't know if it did ever prey on the other occupants?
 
GaryA said:
Sadly same species violence is also common, even if accidental, such as the female tiger killed at London by a new mate.

But there is no way to avoid that risk.

Mixing creatures that are known to show aggression or experimenting with disperate species such as the former owner of South Lakes did for no good reason, I just see as foolhardy.

These lives are especially precious and to try and force something unnatural purely for aesthetics I find upsetting.

I am referring in particular the initial concept of this thread i.e. why would anyone even want to mix chimps with another animal? What would be the net gain for them, or for the other animal?

Yes, some animals will co-exist peacefully, or just basically ignore each other but they wouldn't be highly strung, potentially violent ones such as chimpanzees.

I was always surprised at the Bateular Eagle in the Snowden Aviary with all the waterfowl and waders. I don't know if it did ever prey on the other occupants?
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Okay... agreed about chimpanzees and South lakes and the inherent risks but then you acknowledge that mixed-species exhibits can under some circumstances and conditions work at times, right ?

Or do you totally oppose the practice because of the risks ?

Aren't there also risks with intraspecific aggression in groups and even self injurious / directed aggression in / by individuals so then with risks involved in any and every conceivable set-up why keep any animals in captivity at all ?
 
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