Twycross Zoo Twycross Zoo News 2022

Benosaurus said:
I wonder how Jambo fits into the group these days. Is he on the fringes or is he 'second in command'?

If he is 'second in command' then would it be normal for him to challenge the dominant male every so often (presuming that his injuries were caused by Kibale)?

It's a question that's been asked a few times in recent years, but should he even be in the group?
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I believe he's second in command as I think only he and Kibale are entire males, the others are castrated. So any rivalry is always between these two. And yes, his injuries must be from Kibale. I personally wouldn't have those two unfortunately naked chimps on display but I don't know where else they could keep him and its not his fault he looks like he does of course.
 
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Of the 10 chimps that have died since 2016 how many were purebred?

Im aware the above post may come across a heartless but it's really not the case so before anyone says anything I'm aware that the loss of any individual animal regardless of their genetic value is utterly devastating for all keepers and regular visitors that know the individuals so well.
 
Isn't Jambo the dominant male? He is the only chimp with alopecia remaining? ( Although Coco and Genet show a slight signs of it.)
 
Does anyone think there are still some Chocolate Chimps left in the wild? They must be so rare if so.

I have seen Coco, Jambo, Mongo, Mwekundu, Genet, and Honey, so I am very lucky to see these extremely rare Chimps.
 
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James Barber said:
Does anyone think there are still some Chocolate Chimps left in the wild? They must be so rare if so.

I have seen Coco, Jambo, Mongo, Mwekundu, Genet, and Honey, so I am very lucky to see these extremely rare Chimps.
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Are any/many of the Chocolate chimps purebred (I know Tumba at Colchester isn't so probably won't breed especially with Tombe as dominant male), and if so, are many?
 
On a very recent visit I was told by a staff member that the two Chimpanzee groups consisted of 3 males in the smaller group and a mixed group of 11 (although I was only able to see 10) in the larger group. A separate enclosure is being prepared and the smaller group - Tommy, Peter and William - would be leaving Chimpanzee Eden.

No mention of any Chimpanzees having recently died, although it is not unusual for zoos not to mention animal deaths unless its a high profile individual whose absence would be noticed.

Jambo is, apparently, still the dominant male with Kibale considered 'low ranking'. Jambo was also sporting a very serious leg wound and is 'under veterinary care', again.
 
WanderingDragon said:
On a very recent visit I was told by a staff member that the two Chimpanzee groups consisted of 3 males in the smaller group and a mixed group of 11 (although I was only able to see 10) in the larger group. A separate enclosure is being prepared and the smaller group - Tommy, Peter and William - would be leaving Chimpanzee Eden.

No mention of any Chimpanzees having recently died, although it is not unusual for zoos not to mention animal deaths unless its a high profile individual whose absence would be noticed.

Jambo is, apparently, still the dominant male with Kibale considered 'low ranking'. Jambo was also sporting a very serious leg wound and is 'under veterinary care', again.
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Wonder if that’s why the lhoest monkeys moved again so the chimps can have the old bonobo house ???
 
Embu said:
Of the 10 chimps that have died since 2016 how many were purebred?

Im aware the above post may come across a heartless but it's really not the case so before anyone says anything I'm aware that the loss of any individual animal regardless of their genetic value is utterly devastating for all keepers and regular visitors that know the individuals so well.
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From what I'm aware:

Choppers 1970-2016 - verus (Western)
Noddy 1972-2021 - verus
Kip 1976-2016 - hybrid
Rosie 1976-2020 - hybrid
Tojo 1976-2020 - schweinfurthii (Eastern)
Charlotte 1978-2018 - hybrid
Samantha 1980-2022 - schweinfurthii
Jolly 1983-2016 - verus
Mongo 1994-2016 - hybrid
 
Trudie said:
Wonder why they would move them now after all this time ?
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Perhaps they’ve given up on the idea of merging the groups following the death of Samantha and have decided that giving them their own separate enclosures entirely, meaning outdoor access for both and more space for the group with lots of individuals and lots of tension, would be the best way forward.
 
Which Chimps died in the heater accident? Furthermore were any of Twycross's living Chips part of the Chimps Tea party's? Can someone please tell me the difference between Chimps & Bonobos?
 
I think most if not all of the Chimps from the tea parties have passed away now, maybe Coco was used for them but really don't know. It is now over 40 years since Twycross made their last tea commercial.

Here are 4 differences between Chimps and Bonobos.

- Body size and shape (Bonobos are much more slender than Chimps)

- Facial features (Bonobos tend to have darker faces with pink lips)

- The way they both walk

- The sounds they both make
 
James Barber said:
I think most if not all of the Chimps from the tea parties have passed away now, maybe Coco was used for them but really don't know. It is now over 40 years since Twycross made their last tea commercial.

Here are 4 differences between Chimps and Bonobos.

- Body size and shape (Bonobos are much more slender than Chimps)

- Facial features (Bonobos tend to have darker faces with pink lips)

- The way they both walk

- The sounds they both make
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Also bonobos are led by dominant female instead of males
 
James Barber said:
I think most if not all of the Chimps from the tea parties have passed away now, maybe Coco was used for them but really don't know. It is now over 40 years since Twycross made their last tea commercial.
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According to a BBC article from a few years back (2014), Choppers was the last living chimp from the ads.

Surely it cannot be 40 years? I’m only 38 and remember these ads well.
 
haydn said:
According to a BBC article from a few years back (2014), Choppers was the last living chimp from the ads.

Surely it cannot be 40 years? I’m only 38 and remember these ads well.
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It was mentioned in 1999 on "Molly's Zoo" that the last PG Tips commercial with the Twycross Chimps was over 20 years ago, so its over 40 plus years now.
 
James Barber said:
It was mentioned in 1999 on "Molly's Zoo" that the last PG Tips commercial with the Twycross Chimps was over 20 years ago, so its over 40 plus years now.
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You’re right. After a bit more search it seems PG Tips continued making ads with chimps from overseas zoos right up 2002, before they switched to puppet.

As I mentioned I’d remembered seeing the ads when I was younger but had incorrectly assumed they’d still used Twycross chimps until then too.
 
WanderingDragon said:
No mention of any Chimpanzees having recently died, although it is not unusual for zoos not to mention animal deaths unless its a high profile individual whose absence would be noticed.
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Do we have it on good authority that Samantha died? My friends were told at the weekend by a member of staff that they were unaware that she had died and thought they had seen her a couple of days earlier.
 
James Barber said:
Does anyone think there are still some Chocolate Chimps left in the wild? They must be so rare if so.

I have seen Coco, Jambo, Mongo, Mwekundu, Genet, and Honey, so I am very lucky to see these extremely rare Chimps.
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Any sense of 'luck' in seeing them is cancelled for me in the knowledge that they were purposely inbred, breeding mother & child, to increase the chances of it occurring.

Tumba at Colchester is castrated.
 
If you are interested James this is an old post by my friend about these chimps.

Had a bit of search in the stud book, and put together this info. Makes me sad that so many of my favourite chimps are in-bred, it was such an irresponsible thing to do.

Coco is estimated to have been born in West Africa in 1965, she came to twycross in 1969.

Offspring (unless stated otherwise they are still at Twycross)

Bobby male 1974 moved to colchester in 1994 deceased (father Oscar who moved to Whipsnade and died in 1999)

Kip black male born 1976 - still living (father Oscar who moved to Whipsnade and died in 1999)

Charlotte black female born 1978 - still living (also fathered by Oscar)

Jambo chocolate male with alopecia born 1982 - still living (fathered by her son Bobby!)

Pippin black male now at Colchester born 1986 (fathered by a male called Bimbo who also lived at both London & Chester, and definitely fathered offspring at Chester - he's Heidi's dad).

Mongo chocolate male with alopecia born 1994 - still living (fathered by her son Jambo)

These are all her offspring I can find but all bar Mongo have bred as well.

Charlotte & Jambo were bred together and had chocolate chimps Mwekundu in 1993 (now deceased) and Genet in 1995. Plus a DNS in 1994

Jambo also fathered Peter with wild caught chimp Samantha.

Kip is father to the wonderful Flynn (1986) Mother is Wild caught Noddy.

Pippin is father to Colchester's chocolate chimp male Tumba (2004) His mum is Tekita who is also the offspring of Bobby. Bobby also fathered Kora and Tombe at Colchester as well.
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