ZSL London Zoo New Western Lowland Male Gorilla

I believe the situation hasn't worked out quite as well as they hoped in so much as they haven't been able to get them all together before the baby arrives.
 
Well spotted. Presumably correct but being kept quiet initially. Does anyone have further details?
 
Perhaps I'm being dim, but I don't understand the stud book entry. It was last updated on 20th September and it still says Mjukuu births 0.0.0. Can anyone explain? I was at the zoo on the 13th and no one said or noticed anything.
 
Studbooknr: 8156.

Date of Birth: 10-10-10
Place of Birth: London

...

that's what gorilla haven says.
 
It is very curious. I also noticed the 'last updated' date as being prior to the baby's 'birth' on 10th October. Yet a studbook number is also given too, but no birth record for Mjuku in the centre of her page.

This list isn't always 100% accurate and is not 'official' and I've found a number of mistakes in the past e.g. I think Yeboah was already listed as being at London Zoo while he was still in France.

I'm just not sure what to believe from this information.

(Gorilla Haven= Jim Davis Gorillas Galore studbook.)
 
Single Parent

They are doing building works near the tunnel (or maybe even including the tunnel) which connects the private enclosure to the public enclosure. A section was closed off to the public resulting in people having to double back.

I don't think Mjukku has had her baby yet (I could be wrong) but I think it will be very soon.
I don't think Mjukku (I could be wrong) likes Kesho.
I think Mjukku will end up a single parent and will not be entitled to Benefits as a results of Government Cuts.

However, Kesho and Effie have been getting on and have been having a sexual relations.
 
I don't think Mjukku (I could be wrong) likes Kesho.
However, Kesho and Effie have been getting on and have been having a sexual relations.

If so it is most likely because of her being pregnant when Kesho arrived. She sees him as an incoming male and therefore a possible threat to her(and the baby). No matter how friendly his intentions. I'm sure she would have behaved very differently toward him were it not for the pregnancy.

I'm wondering if they will keep Kesho and Effie together on a temporary basis to give him some regular company, at least until they can resolve this rather difficult situation.
 
I don't think Mjukku has had her baby yet (I could be wrong) but I think it will be very soon.
I don't think Mjukku (I could be wrong) likes Kesho.
I think Mjukku will end up a single parent and will not be entitled to Benefits as a results of Government Cuts.

:D That comment just made my day! Either way, I look forward to hearing whether Mjukku actually has had her baby yet.... :p
 
It's a bit annoying that Quite a bit of this studbooks content is out of date now - and sometimes lists things that haven't happened yet :mad:

Generally this is a very useful source but I have found quite a few innacuracies on this- animals listed as handreared instead of parent-reared and viceversa, zooborn when wildcaught, location of birth/death etc.
I am not convinced the 'ownership' listing is always valid either- through exchanges and loans, some zoos' groups are very complex as far as ownership of individuals is concerned nowadays, and Chessington is one of them.
I'm beginning to think perhaps this 'birth' is a guestimate which is a peculiar way to list things, even giving it a studbook number too. Similar to the way Yeboah was listed as being at London when he was still in France.

Hopefully we'll know more soon.
 
I think it is a pretty good document and there is alot of good information in it,it must have taken lots of work to create too. The baby, which hasn't been born yet as far as I know, is listed as being owned by Chessington is that right?
I'm sad to hear they are having trouble getting Mjukuu and Kesho together
 
It is a good document but not 100% reliable. For example, look up the Chessington Gorillas and it shows 'Lomie' (mother of Shani) as dying at Howletts- not correct, she died at Chessington..

Although it shows most of the Gorillas at Chessington (except Damisi) as being ' Owned by Chessington' I think it is more complex than that, because founder members of the group came from various sources;

Kumba & Baffia(old pair) - definately owned by Chessington.
Lomie- came from Howletts and previously London, who I think BOUGHT her from Chessington originally(for £4000) so I believe she was actually London's animal.
Kaja- came from Howletts as part of a complicated deal involving animal exchanges of various species between Lincoln Park, Howletts and London so I am not sure whether her ownership changed as a result.
2nd(Jersey) Kumba(who came from London)-was probably still owned by Jersey where he was born.

As the rest of the group are descended from the above animals, exactly 'who owns who' (including Mjuku and her baby) could be debatable, though as both ZSL and Chessington are EEP participants it is perhaps only theoretical nowadays.

I think at London they will not be trying to get Kesho and Mjuku together now, given her impending(?) birth. They will have to wait till later.
 
Well I suppose the proximity of a male and seeing some of the interactions between him and some of the adult females in the group would be better for an infant than being raised in an environment without a male even present. I would expect some modifications over time to allow any infant gorilla the chance to interact safely with Kesho before an eventual introduction when older and more robust.
 
I think at London they will not be trying to get Kesho and Mjuku together now, given her impending(?) birth. They will have to wait till later.

When I was there in August the keeper said that the male had been mixed with all three females individually at different times, but they had not had all four animals in together at once.
 
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