Came across this old 1991 National Geographic documentary this morning, thought it was really good if a little dated.
https://vimeo.com/87866211
https://vimeo.com/87866211
The Urban Gorilla (1991, National Geographic)
- Thread starter Crowthorne
- Start date
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- gorilla
Have lost count of how many times I've watched this documentary now, which looks at the world of captive gorillas through snapshots of a few individuals. I thought it would be interesting to make a list of the named gorillas from the documentary. It's interesting to note that as of October 2023, some of the gorillas featured in the documentary are still alive and breeding successfully.
NB. Dates are in British format DD/MM/YYYY
National Geographic documentary:
Wikipedia page: The Urban Gorilla - Wikipedia
Gorilla databases used:
Gorillas Galore - Captive Gorilla Lists - Stud Book
Gorillas Land
Jersey Zoo
Jambo (M)
Stud #: 0111
17/04/1961 (Zoo Basel) - 16/09/1992
B+W footage of captive adult silverback, most likely
Alfred (Bristol Zoo)
Stud #: 1591
c.1928 (wild) - 09/03/1948
Or
Guy (London Zoo)
Stud #: 0005
c.1946 (wild) - 08/06/1978
Yvette Leroy Orphanage / Brazzaville Zoo Orphanage
(There is very little information out there about Mlle. Leroy and her orphanage that I could find, so these dates are estimates based on the opening of the Aspinall-funded Brazzaville Zoo Orphanage)
Maan (M)
c.1986
Djibuli (M)
c.1989-1989
Los Angeles Zoo
Rapunzel (F)
Stud #: 0847
20/02/1984 (Cincinnati Zoo) -
Evelyn (F)
Stud #: 0610
07/03/1976 - 07/12/2022
Jim (M)
Stud #: 0966
01/08/1987 - (Jacksonville Zoo)
Tzambo (M)
Stud #: 0440
c.1972 (wild) - 10/04/1999
San Diego Zoo
Destruction of the 1960s concrete arena and build of new habitat (no named gorillas)
Zoo Atlanta
Willie B (M)
Stud #: 0115
c.1958 (wild) - 02/02/2000
(no other named gorillas)
B & I Shopping Centre
Ivan (M)
Stud #: 0710
c.1964 (wild) - 20/08/2012 (Zoo Atlanta)
Burma (F) (not named in the documentary, but info found on one of the websites dedicated to Ivan's story)
c.1964 - 1964
Woodland Park Zoo
Nina (F)
Stud #: 0330
c.1968 (wild) - 22/05/2015
Columbus Zoo
Susie / Pongi (F)
Stud #: 0269
c.1963 (wild) - 01/02/2014
Colbridge (M)
Stud #: 0952
08/10/1987 - 01/50/1994
Howletts
Mushie (F)
Stud #: 0386
c.1969 (wild) -
Kijo (M)
Stud #: 0577
02/04/1975 - 20/12/2008
Apenheul Primate Park
Tsimi (F)
Stud #: 0576
C.1974 (wild) - 17/09/2001
Pabebo (F)
Stud #: 0945
18/03/1987 - 15/09/2001 (Burger's Zoo)
NB. Dates are in British format DD/MM/YYYY
National Geographic documentary:
Wikipedia page: The Urban Gorilla - Wikipedia
Gorilla databases used:
Gorillas Galore - Captive Gorilla Lists - Stud Book
Gorillas Land
Jersey Zoo
Jambo (M)
Stud #: 0111
17/04/1961 (Zoo Basel) - 16/09/1992
B+W footage of captive adult silverback, most likely
Alfred (Bristol Zoo)
Stud #: 1591
c.1928 (wild) - 09/03/1948
Or
Guy (London Zoo)
Stud #: 0005
c.1946 (wild) - 08/06/1978
Yvette Leroy Orphanage / Brazzaville Zoo Orphanage
(There is very little information out there about Mlle. Leroy and her orphanage that I could find, so these dates are estimates based on the opening of the Aspinall-funded Brazzaville Zoo Orphanage)
Maan (M)
c.1986
Djibuli (M)
c.1989-1989
Los Angeles Zoo
Rapunzel (F)
Stud #: 0847
20/02/1984 (Cincinnati Zoo) -
Evelyn (F)
Stud #: 0610
07/03/1976 - 07/12/2022
Jim (M)
Stud #: 0966
01/08/1987 - (Jacksonville Zoo)
Tzambo (M)
Stud #: 0440
c.1972 (wild) - 10/04/1999
San Diego Zoo
Destruction of the 1960s concrete arena and build of new habitat (no named gorillas)
Zoo Atlanta
Willie B (M)
Stud #: 0115
c.1958 (wild) - 02/02/2000
(no other named gorillas)
B & I Shopping Centre
Ivan (M)
Stud #: 0710
c.1964 (wild) - 20/08/2012 (Zoo Atlanta)
Burma (F) (not named in the documentary, but info found on one of the websites dedicated to Ivan's story)
c.1964 - 1964
Woodland Park Zoo
Nina (F)
Stud #: 0330
c.1968 (wild) - 22/05/2015
Columbus Zoo
Susie / Pongi (F)
Stud #: 0269
c.1963 (wild) - 01/02/2014
Colbridge (M)
Stud #: 0952
08/10/1987 - 01/50/1994
Howletts
Mushie (F)
Stud #: 0386
c.1969 (wild) -
Kijo (M)
Stud #: 0577
02/04/1975 - 20/12/2008
Apenheul Primate Park
Tsimi (F)
Stud #: 0576
C.1974 (wild) - 17/09/2001
Pabebo (F)
Stud #: 0945
18/03/1987 - 15/09/2001 (Burger's Zoo)
Its neither of them. I am pretty sure it is either Massa or Bamboo at Philadelphia. (Remember this is an American production). Another Nat Geo production on Gorillas- I think just called 'Gorilla'- has a similar short sequence early on showing a caged zoo silverback in a barred cage, but this one is even rarer, the only film footage I've ever seen of 'Baron' the first male to breed in captivity, at Columbus Ohio.