Joe the gorilla dies » Twycross Zoo

27-10-2008

Please management figures at Twycross see some sense in the gorilla situation and request urgent intervention on behalf of the EEP and get a new proven or socially adept silverback to pick up the gorilla troupe at Twycross and amalgamate its remains into a functioning and reproducing gorilla troupe.

Now that would be news to come home with .....!

27-10-2008

Maybe we should present a petition to them, as this situation cannot continue!

27-10-2008

I don't think that will be necessary. With SamSam's demise they now have no adult male gorilla for people to see and I'm sure they will want to put that right, even if not very interested in breeding them.

As I see it they have 3 options;

1. Put all 4 females(+Matadi) into one house and add a new male. This leaves the other house vacant for other apes e.g. the 2nd Bonobo group.
2. Continue as they are with two groups, but get two new males.
3. Do absolutely nothing- but I can't quite believe there won't be some change now.

27-10-2008

I favour option 1, as the group will be a more balance one, plus as you have said frees up the enclosure for the 2nd bonobo group.

27-10-2008

Option 1 is the most obvious. I feel sure they must take some sort of action now...

28-10-2008

Please, please, please Twycross - go for Pertinax's option 1, and do it properly.
Move Bongo and Biddy in with the others and renovate the older gorilla house (enlarged paddocks with live trees and shrubs would be good). Choose a nice male, with the studbook keeper's help, and put him in Joe's old section, move the others back into their section and start the introductions.
Then put a wire roof on the newer gorilla paddock and add lots more climbing equipment for Jasongo and his group.

Alan

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