Paignton Zoo Paignton Zoo News 2013

Gigit said:
Lemurs - it is a bit bizarre and I don't know the reason for the moves. As you know, the Red-Fronted used to live in the house now occupied by the Red-Ruffed. They had no need for camouflage netting there, so why not return them there if they have to be moved? I rarely see the two Red-Ruffed outside so they might be more suitable for the ex-gibbon house, leaving the four Ring-Tailed to carry on as normal :confused:

If you look behind the ape house you'll see a pile of poles which, I hope, are destined for the gorilla island. It certainly doesn't look finished and doesn't seem well-used, at least not when I've been around. I've seen a couple of the boys on it, but not Kumbuka who used to sit on and under the old one.

The Barbary Sheep can be difficult to spot - they are sometimes right at the top of the cliff, for instance.
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Lemurs - the 4 ring-tails have been mixed and are getting used to the two new ring-tails
 
I saw today that the ex gibbon holding pen that they are in has rope access to Lemur wood. This means that three indoor enclosures are integrated into the 'walk-through' wood itself - the red bellied and ring tails mixing with the public and the red ruffed contained with no access. It frustrates the hell out of me that because their was no volunteer available today (understandable) that the lemurs were not allowed out, combined with the ring tailed introductions. It was very busy with families who'd paid a lot of money. These guests were not informed why the lemurs were not out, verbally or by simple signage.
On a positive - the desert house looks great with the new cacti plantings and its great to see the two pairs of cranes on the lake near the Howlers and Lars nesting.
 
Orangutan Birth

From the zoo's website:

Paignton Zoo Environmental Park is celebrating its first orang utan birth in 16 years.
Bornean orang utan Mali gave birth on Thursday 11th April. The last orang to be born at Paignton Zoo was female Gambira, on 22nd March 1997.
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park Director of Operations and Curator of Mammals Neil Bemment said: “We are absolutely thrilled that our years of patience have been rewarded and that Mali is proving to be an excellent and attentive mother. The babies are such enchanting and vulnerable looking creatures that you can’t help but want to do something to save orangs from extinction.”
Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling said: “Mother and baby have access to the show dens in the Ape Centre but inevitably the baby is going to be difficult to spot at first. It should be more active and a great draw for the summer season.”
 
TriDV said:
Thanks for the updates Gigit.
The news of the Pileated is very sad. I loved looking for him on his favourite branch high up in his island trees. I agree that its a shame there are just a handful of gibbons left. I wonder if they'll replace him or try a 'new' sub-species of Gibbon? The islands are fantastic exhibits and with Cranes wading below them and the ability to get higher up on the walkway, it is pretty special! The Howlers still have not bred next door - what about trying the Mangabeys out there? Dublin have Cherry capped on an island.
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I DO hope they stick with pileated gibbons given their wild status.
 
Gigit said:
From the zoo's website:

Paignton Zoo Environmental Park is celebrating its first orang utan birth in 16 years.
Bornean orang utan Mali gave birth on Thursday 11th April. The last orang to be born at Paignton Zoo was female Gambira, on 22nd March 1997.
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park Director of Operations and Curator of Mammals Neil Bemment said: “We are absolutely thrilled that our years of patience have been rewarded and that Mali is proving to be an excellent and attentive mother. The babies are such enchanting and vulnerable looking creatures that you can’t help but want to do something to save orangs from extinction.”
Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling said: “Mother and baby have access to the show dens in the Ape Centre but inevitably the baby is going to be difficult to spot at first. It should be more active and a great draw for the summer season.”
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I am over the moon. Congrats to all the staff there. I'm off to 'cheers' them with a local Bays ale!
 
Orangutan Birth

It is practically a miracle after all this time! I'd assumed that Demo must be infertile until realising a couple of months ago that Mali was exhibiting 3 signs of pregnancy - enlarged nipples, a bump and, the clincher, genital swelling (thanks to Chester's females for giving me a practical demonstration last year of exactly what these look like!)

Here's Mali in February:

http://www.zoochat.com/62/bornean-orangutan-6-february-2013-a-307547/

For the record, Demo and Gambira were mating a couple of weeks ago (nothing unusual!) and Chinta was being pursued by Demo at the weekend (I have never witnessed him catching her).
 
Chusan Aviary

The new aviary now has its first residents. On one side is the pair of Northern Ground Hornbills that used to be in the Small Mammal house. On the other, a female Crowned Crane (a male is on the way) and White-Faced Whistling Duck. At least, there is a sign for the Duck - I didn't actually spot it today.
 
Judging by the removal of their signs, Mirek, the male Allen's Swamp Monkey, and Milo, the zoo's last Abyssinian Colobus, have died.

The Kafue Flats Lechwe have had another white calf - the 3rd, I think.
 
Gigit said:
Judging by the removal of their signs, Mirek, the male Allen's Swamp Monkey, and Milo, the zoo's last Abyssinian Colobus, have died.
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And so the inevitable path to demise in Europe for the former species continues apace :(
 
Allens Swamp Monkeys

TeaLovingDave said:
And so the inevitable path to demise in Europe for the former species continues apace :(
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This is such a shame. The fact they never bred is a real downer as I consider their enclosure to be so specific to their needs. I used to love watching him 'fish' for food in the moat that was so cleverly created from the former lemur enclosure. On quiet days I could see the swamp monkeys wading, the gorillas moving around, the waterfowl on the lake and the Lar Gibbons in the distance - so special!
 
TriDV said:
This is such a shame. The fact they never bred is a real downer as I consider their enclosure to be so specific to their needs.
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Agree, the enclosure is good and sympathetic to their natural behaviour/lifestyle.

I suppose whether they replace him or not depends on if there is another male available from anywhere, or whether they are advised to part with the female instead and so(sadly) go out of them.
 
Pertinax said:
I suppose whether they replace him or not depends on if there is another male available from anywhere, or whether they are advised to part with the female instead and so(sadly) go out of them.
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As I understand it, the whole population is elderly and comprising single individuals or geriatric pairs, at a total of 6 collections :( so this species is another Hamlyn's I fear.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
As I understand it, the whole population is elderly and comprising single individuals or geriatric pairs, at a total of 6 collections :( so this species is another Hamlyn's I fear.
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In a situation like that, there is a case for bringing all the remaining individuals together at one site to see if any of them are still young enough and/or compatable as breeders. Nothing is likely to happen otherwise except a gradual die-off..:(
 
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