North American Bonobo Population

@EsserWarrior
Only Stuttgart is too small for the large group and totally overcrouded. Planckendael, Romagne, Rhenen and Leipzig still have space for surplus animals. Wuppertal, Cologne, Berlin, Apenheul, Frankfurt and Twycross already reached their capacity limit.

 

I think larger groups in Europe by and large have sufficient space with naturalistic outdoors with positive impacts on reproduction and general health and welfare.

Planckendael enclosures have been upgraded in recent times. Perhaps others too. Tendency is also for regular swaps and putting related animals as a group in new breeding group.

Those AZA EEP exports: why now the stalling post CoVid?

 

@EsserWarrior Can anyone explain what exactly happened here in Tampa? It was announced and then it all fell apart.

I was quite excited to have them here in Tampa, but to be honest I am not sure the enclosure is really of a size that is acceptable these days. Baboons are a better fit for the space, IMO.

 

I'm not entirely sure why Tampa didn't end up getting the bonobos, but it likely has to do with the size of the enclosure. It was - most likely - much cheaper for them to renovate the enclosure for the baboons than it would be to get bonobos.

 

Definitively not all of them. The Planckendael enclosure consists of a large outdoor island and an indoor complex of 5 or 6 different spatious rooms. The old-style indoor enclosure, consisted of just one of those rooms. Their goal is 30 individuals, though I think 35+ could be housed in there reasonably well.

 

If the bonobo population is struggling space-wise, why doesn't the AZA Ape TAG encourage zoos to replace chimpanzees with the bonobo?

 

I think facilities just have a higher interest in exhibiting chimpanzees rather than bonobos.

 

According to Milwaukee's head bonobo keeper, the new arrivals are acclimating to their new home well.

Let's hope that we can have an ounce of the luck that Europe has had breeding bonobos this year!

 

If you look to the European population thread there have been a good number of births happening recently, and perhaps more to come.

 

Yes, the European population is doing fantastic with lots of breeding occurring regularly. It's interesting and frustrating that so many mammal species are breeding so well in European zoos but not so much over here. For the most part, it seems to have to do with space-related issues, and this is the case with bonobos. Although, I'm hoping at least one infant will be born this year within the population as Jacksonville, Milwaukee, and Columbus all have breeding recommendations.

 

Six or seven this year, if I'm not mistaken!

 

It is space. Looking at what the facilities currently housing bonobos consider to be their "max capacity," almost all of them are one or two individuals over.

 

Which bonobos went to Milwaukee?

 

What do the facilities consider to be their "max capacities" for bonobos?

I wish one or two chimpanzee housing facilities would switch over to bonobos. It'd be a rather simple switch to make, into the species in much more need for holders.

 

Sukari and Elema were transferred from Columbus on 8/31/2021. Fort Worth can hold 8 and have 10 individuals. Milwaukee can hold 18 and has 19 individuals. All other facilities are at or under capacity. I have heard from ACCI directly that they are not transferring Maisha, so there will not be any breeding at Jacksonville. Makanza (from Jacksonville) is supposed to be transferred to ACCI to breed with Elikya and Clara. Toby died so that just leaves Gander to breed at Columbus. Elema is to breed with Katu at Milwaukee. If any of this information is incorrect please let me know.

 

@betsy
It leaves Gander and Jimmy at Columbus to breed with Faith from Milwaukee.

 

I didn't know ACCI canceled their plans with Masiha!

All of that information correlates with everything I know.

Akron, Cleveland Metroparks, Saint Louis, Maryland, and Tampa all have representatives for the Bonobo SSP. I am not entirely sure how these work, but could these facilities potentially be interested in housing bonobo in the future? (Notice how ACCI and Colombus do not appear to have representatives.)

 

Jimmy may be capable but he does not have a breeding recommendation at this time.

 

Well Tampa did have bonobo plans that fell through and I doubt Cleveland wants another great ape species, but didn't Akron unveil an expansion plan that included African Primates and giraffes? If so, maybe bonobos will find their way to Akron in the next few years. Saint Louis and Maryland both keep chimpanzees, and it'd be great if one or both replace them with bonobos.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Akron acquire bonobos. A holding facility would be perfect!