Looks like a nice set-up. Isn't this the group they set up with some females coming from abroad- Holland? How many are in the group now?
The four females from Holland arrived some months ago, and there are now eight (4 males, 4 females) in the group.
The first of the females, Zombi has been taken off contraception now, I hope this all goes well and there may be an infant born next year. Tsotsi and Zombi -
I believe they are mixed-race, I think the Australiasian region's population is a mixed bag where subspecies are concerned. The four females from the Netherlands may be pure West African? I've never heard the zoo mention anything about subspecies, I'm not sure it's a priority.
[/QUOTE] Interesting that once again, previous contraception may be hindering breeding in this group. I've come across various examples, particulaly in Great Apes and Big Cats, where it then causes a long delay in fertility being resumed. I think sometimes Zoos use contraception without giving too much thought to the longerterm after effects.
still, a lot better than the castration of males that the zoos here sometimes thoughtlessly use (hippo in NZ and greater kudu in Australia spring to mind!)
Having said that, we've just had news of another sucessful Gorilla birth in the UK to a female at Chessington who was only taken off contraception around 14th February last year; so in her case it only took a very short time (about three months) to become pregnant again.
Monarto Zoo have announced on their facebook page that the eldest of the four Dutch girls, Zombi, is pregnant. Fingers crossed that all will go well!
