Ok things are getting a bit confusing so I, as a London regular, will attempt to straighten things out. Kumbuka managed to get into a keeper area for an hour and a half, before being successfully darted. At no point did he actually damage the enclosure and thereby make it uninhabitable. He is back onshow like nothing happened. The video merely shows one of his displays. In the past he has indeed shattered two of the panes of glass looking out onto the outdoor area. Both have since been replaced. He did not break the glass during his escape (despite what many people said). There is a barrier of the kind SHAVINGTONZOO mentions, but it doesn't prevent there from being a crowd, which can cause Kumbuka to display. He in no way escaped because he's depressed or angry. He did it because he's a curious animal, as all apes are. He also is not 'a psycho' as someone from ZSL allegedly said. Gigit and anyone else who sees/has seen him on a regular basis can vouch for me here, he is merely a teenage and short-tempered animal.
I think ZSL has both an opportunity and an obligation to educate the public here (and, moreover, to re-educate the anonymous staff member who called him 'a psycho' ). Kumbuka is acting in the normal silverback way to protect his group and to prove to the females that he is a fit and capable group leader. Gorilla males have evolved to be big and strong and demonstrative so that they can do this. I don't even think it's fair to call him short-tempered, he has to appear to be short-tempered in stressful circumstances. Writing as a former teacher, I know that it sometimes necessary to appear to be annoyed and to overreact to resolve a stressful situation , although with human beings (and even with teenagers) it is important not to use this tactic too often The other side of the coin is that Kumbuka is a sensitive and intelligent animal, who is capable of great gentleness and restraint: could ZSL produce a video showing him interacting in this sort of way with the other gorillas and with his keepers? Alan
Newspaper photos showed staff in the outside area in front of the big windows. Were they in fact just checking for any damage rather than anything else? Rather misleading. Anyway, I feel this isn't connected to his accidental 'walkout'. As others have said, it would never have become public knowledge without their emergency procedures having been instigated. I hope this now becomes history, they simply have a strong silverback in his prime who relates to the public a lot. When I saw video of him breaking off limbs of the dead trees when he first arrived, I thought they might have trouble from him damage-wise though.
Afaik he was quickly reunited with the group. It seems that he didn't break a pane of glass after all, at least this time round.
The photos were keepers double-checking the panes of glass they used to replace the two shattered panes from ages ago. The photos do not correlate with the story.
Thanks. When I looked again that is indeed what it looked like. What a hoohah about what was really quite a minor event and Kumbuka is evidently in no way to blame anyway. I just think the zoo should clear up how it happened and we can all move on.
I suspect the incident will be reprised many times in the media particularly due to the BBC unfortunate moment in introducing an item on a topical Scottish political accompanied by images of Kumbuka.
They have these already. Previously people could go right up to the glass. Have seen that modification made at several new Gorilla exhibits. Not sure if they could deepen them further at ZSL without compromising the whole thing.
Are we really sure it was a keeper, or any ZSL employee that called him a 'psycho'? I've more than once been talked to as if I was a keeper just because I was wearing a green fleece. Was asked a question about 'my' gorillas once at Bristol (ironically I think about whether one had ever escaped). I saw some people watching the rhino yesterday at YWP and briefly thought one was a keeper because of their jacket. Bearing in mind the dubious accounts of the 'public' it could have been anyone. I like the one about there possibly being a gorilla behind any bush in the butterfly house! The ZSL house does feel more claustrophobic than Bristol's possibly because of Bristol having the extra level even before the improvements. I was aware of Kumbuka taking note and was very careful not to look him in the eye (I was of course there a very long time) whereas Jock doesn't take so much notice although he has his moments too.
It most certainly wasn't. If it even was a member of staff, they will likely have been terminated/severely reprimanded for talking to the press before an official press release was even made.
Yes, I think 'claustrophobic' is the right description. When I was there a few weeks ago, seeing Kumbuka was the main purpose of my visit so I was not going to be deterred from making my way to the barrier, but it was quite an unpleasant experience, with the jostling and noise. I have probably mentioned elsewhere on the Forum the wonderful experience I had with Kumbuka while he was at Paignton. He was having a rare morning in the showden and there was nobody else about. I stood at the window and he came across the netting to me. I crouched down to his level and we just looked at each other face to face for a few magical moments before he moved away. I did gaze at him while I was at ZSL and I don't think I'm being fanciful in saying that I noticed recognition on his part. Like the other hand-reared gorillas at Paignton, he was used to eye contact - it seems to be excessive noise and banging on windows that they don't like.
Exactly. Last time I saw him he was quiet as a mouse each time I visited, settled mostly at the front. I looked at him, he looked at me- quite calm, some males don't like that but he wasn't bothered. But particular things can set them off- as you said, usually noise or rowdy people- of which ZSL gets a fair share. As for 'pyscho'- I've heard other European males that did not settle easily in new groups or injured babies other than their own- Youande, Buzandi etc being referred to, probably out of frustration as 'psycho' -though later after they become model group leaders the zoos changed their minds, but its bad when the press get hold of such a tag.
Yes, the low ceiling at ZSL gives a dark, tunnel-like effect to the viewing area- Bristol's is much higher and rather lighter. And like you said, Jock doesn't appear to relate to people as much either.
Ultimately something needs to be done with the indoor visitor viewing area-it's far too claustrophobic at the best of times and, in my experience, NO ONE takes notice of the signage regarding cameras or noise. There's been many a time I wanted to slap an ignorant/disrespective visitor for attempting to provoke the gorillas. Of course, the problem could be solved if ZSL moved the group to Whipsnade!
I do have to agree with that, though its now been fully explained that Kumbuka simply walked out of unlocked doors in the night cages and the incident was in no way related to aggressive or stressed behaviour. My preference would be to see it deepened in size( double depth?) which would give the group more space in the area they use the most and allow Kumbuka to get away from people more if he so chose to. But I expect things just to stay the same.
