Willowbank Chimpanzees- at one time they had four- father, mother and two children- older daughter and younger son- that's how I saw them back in 1990. It seems the mother and son have since died leaving the w/c male and his daughter who must be a full adult now. I think the notice on their cage said that the original pair previously lived at a private zoo near Dunedin, before being 'rescued' by Willowbank.
thats true they are now planned for either mogo, or monarto that has re cently come into the spotlight, i have been told that they may be going south, but im not sure would be nice if the went to mogo, they would be in a breeding program, as for if they go to monartos new facilities, is is to my belief a retirement sanctuary mogos 2 current chimps were destined for mareeba, but events occured and bullens kept them, until mogo stood up and decided to take them
adelaide's two female gorillas will leave for europe this month (may). one will be going to lisbon zoo in portugal and the other to duisburg zoo in germany! whilst questions were raised about the validity of the en-route stopover in adelaide, the zoo actually raised $20,000 AU for gorilla conservation in Africa in the months the gorillas were there for, a good result, and the gorilla's stay obviously boosted the zoos and species profile
One of Adelaide's gorilla ladys has now been spotted at Duisburg Zoo last week, so i guess they finally went...
i don't see the problem with the gorillas spending time at adelaide before they departed for europe. as you said glyn, the stopover raised $20,000 for gorilla conservation from south australians that would not have been donated had they stayed in sydney. since we have both taronga and melbourne producing "surplus" male gorillas that neither zoo have been effectively housing (i believe taronga keeps its males in the tiny old guenon enclosure and we all know the rough deal lone gorillas have got at melbourne!), i am supprised that neither perth nor adelaide have ended up with male gorillas on a more permanent basis. wether it be justified or not gorillas appear to have become one of those measures at which people judge a particualr zoos level of prestige (the same reason we hold onto our dear little elephants so tightly...). thus i wonder why it is that neither zoos have ended up with some of the males originating from fellow ARAZPA members zoos. i wonder if it has to do with lack of interest in even holding batchelors on these zoos part, or if it has to do with taronga and melbourne not wanting to give them to these zoos permanently. no doubt if melbourne renovates its grottoes, its making a pretty solid comitment to holding a second gorilla troop permanantly. i think australia zoo has shown some interest in becoming a batchelor holder...
I dont think there is any room for permernant gorillas at adelaide, when the chimps move the whole great ape blockis being demolished and the Westpac Enrivodome will be built
Australia Zoo sounds a good location for a male gorilla group. They could presumably give them plenty of space which is what they really need, so they can all ignore each other if they so wish...
austrlia zoo has plan for the biggest gorrilla exhibit in the country, if not the world. if this is the case, they will defintally have facilities for male bachelor groups
Yes, they have. I remain hopeful that we will have gorillas in SA again... perhaps a bachelor group at Monarto? But the species has been scrapped from the Master Plan as it stands now.
