Where could possible Silverbacks for Twycross come from what about Howletts and Port Lympne? They must have a possible Silverback although they may not hand them on loan. What about Paignton i think they have a few young silverbacks? What ever happens twycross need to sort it quickly to keep the gorillas going. Also A new male for the group at London needs to be found.
1. Decisions like this are normally made by the EEP- i.e. Twycross will probably(speculation, not fact) have approached the EEP studbook keepers(Apenheul) requesting a new male be selected for them. There are plenty available.
2. Twycross gorilla management has been dysfunctional over a long period with very little breeding. They have kept one group without a male for nearly two years now. My guess is with all their adult silverbacks now dead, they may want to form possibly one new group, under a single new male and before the next summer season starts.
3. Port Lympne males are mostly from very well represented genetic lines, but setting that aside, there are 10 adult and subadult males there to choose from (plus two 9 year olds) Port Lympne would probably accomodate them as they have loaned males to other zoos before.
4. The only suitable male at Paignton(discounting Pertinax who is their male group 'teacher') is Kumbuka(10)and he is related to the potential breeding females at Twycross. Another UK option would be 'Kesho' from Dublin who is unrelated to any Twycross animal.
5. London- will want to have a new male on display as soon as possible, apart from the welfare of the leaderless females. Presumably an application to the EEP for another one is already in process. Its possible, but perhaps less likely than Twycross, that a new male would go there from Port Lympne.
