When were Orangutan first held at Chester Zoo?

[alfiethetortois]

I am trying, and failing, to pinpoint when Chester Zoo first started to hold Orangutan.

I believe they held a male Sumatran called Paul in 1958 and also held another male around this time called Jimmy and then a female called Josephine

Kimbu and Martha arrived before summer of 1966

Lola, Dennis, Barry and David arrived sometime but no idea when

Sometime after this they acquired Oscar and Ramona (Sumatran - apx 1978)

Can anyone shed any light?

Thanks

 

[Pertinax]

Chester's first Orangutans were Paul/Jimmy/Josephine + two other females that arrived at the same time.

According to old studbooks;
Jimmy arrived at Chester 4th July 1957.
Paul " " 4th July 1958.
Josephine " " 12th September 1959.

The other two females don't appear in historic listings I have access to.
A postcard I have shows all five together. From this and other photos I have seen, the other two females were Bornean too. I think one was called 'Jacqueline'. By the time 'Rajang' was born to Josephine in 1968, the other two females had died, and she died soon after also. The two males lived on together.

So according to these dates(if correct) 'Jimmy' was actually Chester's first Orangutan. At that time they had two Sumatran males and three Bornean females.

Barry,Dennis & David( all males, all Bornean) arrived together in April 1968. Lola(female Bornean) arrived from Colchester November 1971.

Martha and Kimbu (Bornean) arrived in January and May 1966.

 

[alfiethetortois]

Thanks for that

 

[gentle lemur]

From the 2011 studbook, the other females both arrived on the 30th August 1959. Betty was Bornean and lived until August 22nd 1964. Jacqueline was of unknown origin and lived until February 23rd 1967.
Both females gave birth to infants in 1964, fathered by Jimmy, but they both died within a few days.

Alan

 

[alfiethetortois]

Thanks for the extra information

 

[bongorob]

Orang Utans born at Chester Zoo

hybrid unknown parentage
1964 1 DNS

Sumatran x Bornean
1964 1 DNS
1968 1.0 Rajang (now at Colchester)

Bornean
1974 0.1
1976 1.0
1977 1.0
1978 1.0
1980 0.1
1983 1.1
1989 0.1
1994 0.1
1995 2.0
1996 1.1
1999 1.0
2009 1.1

total 9.7

Sumatran
1983 1.0
1984 0.1 DNS
1985 1.0
1986 0.1
1987 0.1
1998 1.1
2004 1.1
2008 0.1
2009 0.1
2012 0.1
2013 1.1

total 5.9 (0.1)

 

[Pertinax]

Orang Utans born at Chester Zoo

hybrid unknown parentage
1964 1 DNS


It has to be Sumatran x Bornean also. As the only males were Sumatran it must be the same cross( but presumably a different female) as the other 1964 one below.

 

[Campbell89]

I thought there was only two orangutan species?

Edit - never mind, I realised the unknown parentage is whether it is a Sumatran x Bornean or Bornean x Sumatran.

 

[gentle lemur]

Orang Utans born at Chester Zoo

hybrid unknown parentage
1964 1 DNS


It has to be Sumatran x Bornean also. As the only males were Sumatran it must be the same cross( but presumably a different female) as the other 1964 one below.

The father was Jimmy, the mother was Josephine who was not identified as Bornean or Sumatran. It is possible that this infant was pure Sumatran.

Alan

 

[bongorob]

I thought there was only two orangutan species?

Edit - never mind, I realised the unknown parentage is whether it is a Sumatran x Bornean or Bornean x Sumatran.

There are.

Pongo abelii and Pongo pygmaeus with three subspecies pygmaeus from west Borneo, morio from Sabah and wurmbii from south Borneo.

The male parent is sumatran, there were no male Borneans at the zoo in 1964. I would think that the female whose species is not know is Bornean, my reason being that the females most likely came from the same source.

 

[Pertinax]

The father was Jimmy, the mother was Josephine who was not identified as Bornean or Sumatran. It is possible that this infant was pure Sumatran.

Alan

I think you mean Jaqueline, the unidentified female? If it was Josephine, she was the mother of 'Rajang'- a known hybrid.

The postcard I have(dated 1967 but obviously taken circa 1964 before one female died)) shows all five together- the three females all look very similar and (to me) all Bornean -but of course that isn't conclusive proof.

 

[gentle lemur]

I think you mean Jaqueline, the unidentified female? If it was Josephine, she was the mother of 'Rajang'- a known hybrid.

Oops! Yes I did mean Jacqueline.

Alan