This evening is expected the arrival of 2 females Gorillas from one of the Aspinall Zoos for be paired with Idi Amin a 38 years old wild caught silverback that lives alone at Belo Horizonte Zoo since 1978. Kifta and Imbi should be around 11 years old! I really dont know if I should be happy with this news or make me worry, since Belo Horizonte is still a substandard zoo and even dont can manage some simple veterinary issues. If this male was important to the EEP they should organize his transfer to Europe and not sent this females to Brazil.
Kifta and Imbi are 2 lovely Gorillas I hope they settle in OK, are you likely to visit once they are out of quarantine? Worried about their welfare now after reading your concerns
Im worry too, after see the video of theier quarentine facility, nothing more that 2 small chicken cages. Well should visit there latter in the year. Globo Vídeos - VIDEO - Duas gorilas chegam a BH para serem namoradas de Idi Amin
Hi! I im not in Brazil right know, but read some news that there was some attempt covered by a TV and it went wrong. Idi was very agressive toward them and they have to use jets of fire extinguisher to get Idi away from one of the females, since she was in real danger and without a intervention he would injury she very badly or even kill! Will check more infos asp im back to Brazil.
kifta & Imbi Thank you very much Eduardo for letting us know this news, I have tried to find any news re the introduction but not found anything yet. I find this very upsetting, whilst there are bound to be some difficulties at first it sounds bad. On your return to Brazil could you forward any links re this and I will also contine to look.I sent tweet to press office but no reply.
Given Howletts have only very rarely parted with female Gorillas before now, I am surprised they were prepared to send two prime ones to what sounds like a rather substandard facility in South America. The motive is good but could be flawed if this male 'Idi' has been alone too long and as a result is overly aggressive or not interested in breeding. It is only early days and further introductions may go better, but if not, would the two females be returned to Howletts, there being no other partners for them in Brazil?
Hi! I dont think this females will go back if all attempts fail! A lot of money is involved in the negotiation and there is a litle discussion about the use of public money in bringing this females to Brazil. I still don´t know if this was a exchange or if the amount of 300.000 USD was paid to Howlets for get the females or if it was ussed in the transport costs. The facility was already build several years ago for Idi.
I have just read the response from Damien Aspinall to the GAP project on their website if you havn't already seen it. I saw the you tube video of Bikira's first introduction at Prague zoo and it wasn't pleasant but normal behaviour but that was from other females and not the silverback so it is quite worrying, I wish we could monitor it better but they don't have webcams at Belo, however, I am certain that Howletts will be in constant touch and we will have to wait for progress report. Thanks again
'Bikira' certainly got a hard time from the other females, but you can see the silverback 'Richard' almost holds himself back a bit from pitching in. Afaik sh's now fully integrated in their group and is pregnant too. Its certainly not unheard of for a male to make an aggressive attack on females in the first instance, often inflicting nasty bites or cuts. But if he persists with that behaviour and proves incompatible with them longterm, I was wondering what the outcome might be. However, it is early days yet.
Here's a little video and it's a joy to see how calm this guy is after, how many?, 27 years of solitud. I'm happy for him! Liebesglück für Gorilla «Idi»? Sein erster Flirt nach 27 Jahren - Ausland - News - Blick.ch I have a question to Pertinax about Richard/Bikira in Prague. I saw the introduction on the webcams, and wondered why Ricchard didn't step in when she was attacked, many times he even also attacked Bikira along with the females. Can you explain this behavior?
The male Idi is under health treatment due a infection in one at is arms, he also suffers from artrosis. The whole group is locked-in for some days to avoid disturbance. Pontenet
Sad News: Idi Amin, the male Gorilla died this morning during an "regular clinical procedure" at a age of 38 years. The cause of the death is not clear yet, the cause will only be known after the autopsy.... G1 - Gorila Idi Amin morre no zoológico de Belo Horizonte - notícias em Minas Gerais Well finally I wonder if the results of the autopsy will be made public correctly (Its not normal Zoos make clear statements about death causes in Brazil, most of them even dont give any news out about deaths of the animals, even if they are "famous" one, like Elehpant´s, etc) and let´s hoppe that is don´t was a case of wrong dosage of anesthetic that is happening so frequently in Brazilin Zoos... Again I have to say that the transfer of this 2 females that now are alone here was a worng decision of Aspinall Foundation...Brazilian Zoos are fare from meet the minimum requirment´s and standard´s, in december Ibama shut down an newly opened zoo, that could meet even the minimum standard´s fixed by Brazilian Law...and this conditions are the minimum of the minimum. Really bad! Im not anti Zoos, I like zoos, but good Zoos that have a good purpose and bring benefit for the animals, conservation, visitors, etc.
Thanks Eduardo for letting me know. It is very sad news and also for Kifta & Imbi and worrying as to what will happen next. I appreciate you keeping us informed so once again Thanks.
Autopsy showed that Idi died of the anesthesia! A big fuus for animal rights groups in Brazil...the Great Ape Project made a lot of media out of it!
Hi Eduardo, thanks, I have read the GAP news and hopefully they will keep the pressure on. I often wonder what will happen now with Kifta & Imbi and if they will try to put another male in.
Well some news from March say they will negotiate with Aspinall a male, but so fare nothing worked out, or no public info now! http://mg1.com.br/plus/modulos/noticias/ler.php?cdnoticia=24291
Maybe they will get another male from the US , being nearer than Europe? I was surprised Howletts let them have two females in the first place- they are usually very choosy about the new homes any of their animals go to, even down to any faults they see in the design of the enclosures sometimes, yet in this case they sent two females to an obviously substandard zoo (I appreciate Gorillas can die under anaethsesia in top zoos too) and it now proves to have been a waste of time though that could not be foreseen at the time.
