As far as I’m aware the colobus will be the main attraction. Plans have changed from the initial ideas, such as African Grey Parrots or some small deer at the bottom of the area. I’m sure that a decision will be made in due course
ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2022
- Thread starter Red Footed Tortoise
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The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
Lafone
Well-Known Member
I’d suggest Google is a friend for old news as it was very heavily reported and is easily found with a simple search
“Tiny the Western Lowland gorilla, has clung to his mother, 12-year-old Mjukuu, since birth but last week she urged him to venture off, and he hesitantly took his first steps. Tiny stumbled and crawled around the gorilla enclosure to the delight of his keepers. The zoo officials will soon decide on a permanent name for the baby, who will quickly outgrow his Tiny nickname.”
Baby gorilla's takes first steps in London Zoo
all the Google results of both his early development and his death state Tiny was a nickname - see Google results you can find using search terms like gorilla birth 2011 London, Tiny gorilla 2011 london, gorilla killed London 2011 etc etc for BBC, The Times.
As far as I’m aware, Tiny was never actually officially named. It was his nickname, and it actually became quite popular with the visitors, so they kept it.
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
@Jambo why didn’t Tiny have an actual name? London Zoo always name their Animals. Tiny’s younger Half-Sister Alika was named within a few Months.
Unless I’ve missed something, don’t London still have a mangabey group?
Probably because of the risks of mixing him with an unrelated silverback at such a young age, coupled with this particular silverback’s character. Why waste time and public relations on formally naming the infant if the inevitable were to happen (which it did). I still believe Kesho was dealt a bad hand throughout this episode as one could argue his health issues weren’t truly understood until he moved to Longleat. The Press had a field day.
The keepers may well have had a name for the infant, but if it’s their business not to disclose it then so be it and respect that. As stated earlier, the name “Tiny” got picked up by the media and it snowballed from there.
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
@Panthera1981 how are Longleat dealing with Kesho’s problems differently too London.
London Zoo has a troop of 9 mangabeys
Quick question,we are driving to London zoo for the first time on monday, we are gold members and it says free parking after 10am. Just wondering does anyone know if the car park gets full on a week day often, and also do you just show your membership card on arrival to the car park.
Thanks
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Tiny was the first gorilla born at London in quite some time, so he became almost instantly popular upon his birth. As stated, the media dubbed him Tiny, and the name stuck. Everyone knew him as Tiny. There was no need for a name change; although it's likely he may have received another name later on.
There's nothing wrong with him, it's a simply natural behaviour what he did. It occurs a lot in the wild when a new silverback takes over an already established group.
Kesho, at the time, was deemed the most socially adjusted candidate for transfer at the time. London were worried about the dynamics of their troop, especially leading up to Tiny's birth. It was mentioned at the time, that if Kesho became aggressive towards Tiny, he would be sent to Stuggart to get hand raised.
Kesho has Klinefelter's syndrome which affects fertility but in humans anyway, doesn't create any behavioural issues. The zoo were certainly aware of the dangers of introducing him to a group containing a female with a small baby unrelated to him, but were faced with the alternative of a split group for years to come, if they didn't try mixing them. It failed with bad consequences as we know. I think I've seen another more official name for Tiny somewhere in a studbook or somewhere but it was never widely used.
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
I can't remember. Search a Gorilla studbook if you want to find out for sure.
I would also add to this that “Animal Park” provided very well balanced coverage on this topic a few years ago. What future Kesho has as a dominant group leader was left unanswered if I recall.
Kesho was sent to Longleat as they presumed he would never breed. There he was reunited with his two younger brothers from Dublin and they are still together, with two unrelated males. Kesho is the eldest but the rules of dominance in male groups are different/less defined than in male/female social groups. Zoos always say male groups occur in the wild but its not really true, they are a captive management tool. I imagine Kesho will stay there all his life now.
