Twycross gorillas past and present
I suppose I am right to assume that the equation of gorilla keeping and management at Twycross Zoo is a definite minus both in terms of numbers of gorillas kept, those that died offset with those that were born or imported
Can you indulge in this algebra here with the entire known Twycross groups (past and present)?
Jelle.
Surprisingly, Twycross actually have a good record for keeping their gorillas
alive longterm- the problem is they just haven't bred as many as they should over that 40+ years period. Until last year they'd never lost an adult gorilla, and none of the infants was lost either. But last year saw rather a change with several deaths...
Present gorillas;
m. Joe. w/c. born 1962 at Twycross since 1963. oldest male in UK. non-breeder(humanised) he lives alone but has contact with older 'group' next door.
older group;
f. Bongo. w/c born 1965, at Twycross since 1965. originally 'mate' of Joe. non-breeder(humanised) she was split from Joe and transferred into group situation many years ago now.
f. Biddy.w/c born 1973, arrived Twycross 1975(with Eva) 2 offspring.
m. SamSam.w/c. 1972/73 has been at; Rotterdam/Dublin/Edinburgh/Blackpool/Edinburgh, sent to Twycross 2006 with Yinka, en route to Spain, but has stayed on at Twycross after Mamfe and Yinka both died and at the same time a vacancy for a male arose. One offspring(Sekondi) born at Edinburgh.
younger group;
f. Asante born 1985(Mamfe x Eva) only offspring of Eva but has never bred yet( she has never had a suitable mate) Hanraised.
f. Ozala born 1994 (Mamfe x Biddy) 2 offspring(one died) Mother-reared- first m/r baby at Twycross.
m. Matadi born 2003 (Ozala x Sekondi-first birth to this pair)
Previous gorillas;
m. Mamfe. born Jersey 1973. at Twycross since 1976. former group male of older group. Died summer 2006.(fathered 3 offspring- Asante, Mambi, Ozala)
m. Assumbo born Jersey 1973. came with Mamfe- later sent away.
m. Sekondi (Ti) born 1989 at Edinburgh(SamSam x Yinka) sent to Twycross where handraised. Became male of younger group. father of Matadi. Died February 2007 (stroke).
m. Mambi. born Twycross 1991 (Mamfe x Biddy) older brother of Ozala. handraised, then kept with Asante and Sekondi- later sent to Paignton/then La Boissiere/ now at Valencia, Spain.
f. Eva. w/c. born 1973 came to Twycross 1975 (with Biddy) one offspring(asante) Died summer 2007.
f. Yinka. came with SamSam from Edinburgh 2006 en route to Spain. Died January 2007.(one offspring- Sekondi, born at Edinburgh)
f. Ndoki. born Twycross May 2007, died at six months, possibly the indirect result of her mother being stressed by loss of her mate (Sekondi)
Breeding wise, Twycross' main problem has been long periods of no breeding. The breeding male Mamfe was handraised(at Jersey)- he seemed not fully dominant over the females and mating appeared sporadic- resulting in very few births. (The old female Bongo has never bred and Eva stopped breeding with him after Asante was born) 'Biddy' successfully reared 'Ozala', and in turn Ozala reared 'Matadi' though her 2nd baby 'Ndoki' died at six months.
In the younger group Sekondi and the older Asante grew up together from a young age, so he did not mate her. 'Ozala' was introduced to this pair later, at age 7- being a strange female Sekondi mated her readily and she soon became pregnant. Eva is now dead and Asante, aged 23, is her only offspring.
'SamSam' replaced 'Mamfe' as male in the older group_it was not a deliberate replacement, he was already there in transit to Spain when Mamfe died, and stayed on after his own female Yinka died. He is older than his years but does mate with Biddy apparently, so there's some hope there....
SamSam & Yinka are the parents of the dead Sekondi(born at Edinburgh) so Matadi is the grandson of SamSam.
However, you are the numbers coach here, but I suppose I am right to assume that the equation of gorilla keeping and management at Twycross Zoo is a definite minus both in terms of numbers of gorillas kept, those that died offset with those that were born or imported (of which 1 or 2 also died).
If you have to keep it under wraps untill they are mighty sure (they have a similar policy at Artis Amsterdam) ... that is fine by me. I feel we should respect that (I am a volunteer tour guide at Artis and we hear quite a lot ourselves on comings and goings and I know and respect that not everything should and must be put out to the wider public. It is a trust-respect thingy). 