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Howletts Wild Animal Park Gorilla groups/families - how many are there?

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by Willard, 17 Oct 2011.

  1. Willard

    Willard Well-Known Member

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    Hello,

    does anyone know how many gorilla groups there are currently at Howletts? Jim Davis' studbook at Gorillas Galore - Captive Gorilla Lists - Stud Book lists almost 50 individuals, but it's hard to get an idea of who lives with whom (i.e. their family structure).

    I've been making family trees for zoo gorilla groups all over Europe (and beyond) - here is the set at Flickr: Gorilla Family Trees - a set on Flickr - and would like to make one (or more) for Howletts.

    Any contribution to, and insight information on the gorilla families would be very much appreciated!

    My email is [email protected]

    Willard
     
  2. gentle lemur

    gentle lemur Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Hi Willard, welcome to ZooChat - I think we know each other's work from Flickr.
    There are 5 gorilla groups at Howletts, but only 3 are breeding currently. In order of distance from the entrance they are:
    1. Kijo's former group, which still has his last infants so we presume that they waiting until these grow before introducing a new male
    2. Kifu's group, which is breeding (Kifu is Kijo's son)
    3. Bitam's former group, the oldest females (Baby Doll, Juju and Mouila) which live in the oldest and smallest of the gorilla houses (it's been over a year since I visited Howletts so I am not sure how many juveniles still live with them)
    4. Kouillou's group, which includes the youngest infant born to Tamba in August, in the original gorillarium
    5. Djanghou's group, the most recently formed, in the enclosure previously occupied by Bitam's group
    The gorillas in these groups are related to the ones in the bachelor groups and the breeding group at Port Lympne, where Djala is the breeding male. Djanghou is Djala's oldest son.
    Hope this helps. I'm sure other people can add further details.

    Alan
     
  3. Willard

    Willard Well-Known Member

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    Hi Alan,

    of course I know you from Flickr, thank you so much for replying and listing the groups, that is a big help! The rest I think I'll be able to figure out with the studbook. I will post the links here when I've made the family trees - which might take me a while though.

    The Aspinalls have been doing a really good job, and one day I hope I can visit both zoos/parks.

    Willard
     
  4. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Here are the names of animals in the various Howletts groups which Alan has listed above;

    Kijo group(Kijo is dead now- currently no adult male)
    Mushie/Shumba/Juma/Dihi/Bitono/Jah/Loulou/Popa/Joshi/Kiju.

    Kifu group; Sidonie/Tebe/Sangha/Tambabi/Kifu/Bamilla/Kifta/Ebeki/Oundi

    Bitam group(Bitam is dead; no male); Mouila/BabyDoll/Juju/Imbi/Shasha/Bitanu.

    Kouillou Group; Kouillou/Tamba/Matibi/Jubi/Mambi/Emba/Otana/MahMah/Baloo/Imbizo/Boula/Mumbou.

    Djanghou Group; Djanghou/Boma/Kwimba/Sanki/Kimba2/Tamidol/Kidiki/Masindi/Kisane/Nkoumou/Affy. + new baby born August(mother Tamba)

    Djala Group(at Port Lympne);
    Djala/Mumba/Kishi/Tamki/Emmie/Kibi/FouFou/Yene/Mwambe/Djongo/Louna/Mayumba.+ 2(?) new babies born earlier this year.

    This was correct (afaik) at the beginning of 2011. 'Gorillas Galore' will give you all the sexes, birthdates and parentages, as you are aware.

    Finally, welcome to Zoochat! I have also seen your Gorilla family trees on Flickr too.;)
     
  5. zooman

    zooman Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Love your work Willard!
     
  6. Willard

    Willard Well-Known Member

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    Hi Pertinax,

    thank you very much, I appreciate a lot! I've just started to make the tree for Djanghou's group, and apart from the usual problem - not enough space for all related individuals - Jim Davis' site (Gorillas Galore) does not tell which group at Howletts they belong to. Now I know!

    (It would be nice to see ALL Howletts & PL members in ONE large tree, but that's just impossible on a regular sized sheet of paper.)

    I cannot contribute any photos myself to ZooChat, but I'd like to be in touch with like-minded people, especially those who are familiar with gorillas and gorilla families living in zoos.

    Thanks again,
    Willard
     
  7. Willard

    Willard Well-Known Member

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    Thank you, zooman, I do appreciate!
     
  8. Willard

    Willard Well-Known Member

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  9. Pippeloentje

    Pippeloentje Member

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    Great result Willard! You are doing a GREAT job!!!!!
     
  10. Willard

    Willard Well-Known Member

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    Thank you, Pippeloentje! I did not know you are on ZooChat too. Good to have you around. :)
     
  11. Javan Rhino

    Javan Rhino Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Hi Willard,

    I'm loving your work, is it just gorillas that you do this for? I would love to see this done with Chester's current Sumatran orang-utan family, would you ever consider it? If not, would you mind if I used a similar layout/format to do it?

    Kind regards :)
     
  12. Willard

    Willard Well-Known Member

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    Hi Javan,

    I've been making those family trees for gorillas only. I like orangutans very much, actually more than the other great apes, but am quite busy with my favorite primates, sorry. The trees were done with Word for Windows, and of course you can use a similar layout - I don't own the copyright. If you need any help, or want me to send you the original Word file of one of the trees (as a template for yours) please contact me at [email protected]

    Kind regards,
    Willard :)
     
  13. Willard

    Willard Well-Known Member

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  14. john

    john Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Djimu is an interesting male for breeding.
    Any chances in that?
     
  15. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Djimu is currently one of the 'Big Five' (oldest) male group at Port Lympne- they are scheduled to go as an entire group to Rhenen Zoo when the enclosure is done.

    The group at Howletts without a male at present is Kijo's and as Djimu is Kijo's son and so related to most others in that group too, he wouldn't be suitable. They seem to have now sent away (or be sending in the case of the 5) all the other older males not related to Kijo and this group, apart from the single silverback 'Timbou' (Bitam x Mouila). He lives alone so when the time comes, perhaps it might be him?
     
  16. john

    john Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    But what about the legacy of Djoum?

    As far as known to me Djimu is the one with some of Djoum's genes. And Juma is getting older and at the moment out of the position of reproducing.
    I don't say Djimu's place must be the Aspinall's - it could be somewhere else.
     
  17. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I agree Djoum is not well represented, having very few descendents. I can only assume the grandson Djimu hasn't (so far) been identified as a priority male for breeding elsewhere, though Howletts might not want to split him from the group of 5 if they are to leave sometime soon. However, if they ever reach Rhenen maybe be things might change for him in future?
     
  18. gkeeper

    gkeeper New Member

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    Just to Add, Kifta and Imbi have now left the collection.
     
  19. GorillaBoy

    GorillaBoy Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Yes Imbi and Kifta have been transferred to a zoo in Brazil and have been introduced to Idi a 38 year old silverback.

    GB
     
  20. hadrada

    hadrada Well-Known Member

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    This is gold dust to me :D

    Keep it up Willard,liking your work :)