As well as the Grey Gulls, the loss of Chough is very sad IMO, as they have kept them for as long as I can remember, that's back to the 1960's at least...
I hope they don't...as neither of these groups is large enough at present (4 & 3 animals respectively) to withstand any accidents or losses that such mixed exhibits sometimes cause.
I would also like to see a breeding Gorilla group at Paignton but it is impossible under the current situation. Because of their genetics, none of the current male Gorillas is very likely to move on in the forseeable future, while the Orangutans occupy the other half of the house.. My preference would be for a new house built specifically for the orangutans at the other end of the Islands, the islands redesigned to create another main one, and a male/female group of gorillas installed in the other half of the current house. But I doubt that will ever happen. Zebra stallon was born at Blackpool in 2015.
I saw on the internet that a Zebra mare called Betty had given birth to a male Zebra calf called Jabiri. Tragically when Jabiri was only a few months old Betty his mother was kicked in the jaw by one of her heard mates,the brake was so serious that the Blackpool Zoo staff had no other option than humanely euthanising Betty. If the zebra stallion your talking about is Jabiri I'll definitely try and visit Paington zoo this year,I live in Plymouth so Paington is relatively local to me. Since the first time I read this tragic news regarding Betty I've always wanted to meet her son in the hyde and now that he only lives a hour away from me I can! Pertinax I'm delighted that this dear little Zebra who horrifically lost his mum at young age now is in a position to father his own prodigy and what's even better is that he's now got a couple of Zebra mares to thrive,flirt with and befriend! Go on Jibiri go and do your bit for your endangered species
Yes, only males at Paignton, previous ones were; Klaus,- later sent to Bristol Zoo(died) Pertinax- still at Paignton Richard- sent to Prague Awali- sent to Barcelona, now at Amneville, France. Damisi-sent to Chessington Asato- sent to Beauval, France Mambie, sent to La Boissiere, now at Valencia Spain. Kumbuka. sent to London(died) Matadi-sent to Howletts, now at Antwerp. I think that is all of the past ones...
Yes, good point. I suppose the enclosure too is not as big as it would need to be? I remember seeing the excellent mix at Dublin and witnessing the positive dynamic it created.
Not as big as Dublin's but I think it would work okay. At one time they were going to reconfigure the Mangabey group and put the removed males(Dublin's mangabeys with their gorillas are all male too) with the gorillas, but there were problems in the Mangabey group and essentially it has since remained with the same original breeding pair. My concern is more that both groups are currently too small to survive any losses.
The zoo is now home to 17 Nguru spiny pygmy chameleons (not currently on show): All creatures great and very, very small
Gorillas: when I had a behind-the-scenes tour of the ape house some years ago (gloat gloat ), I was told by a keeper at that time that they wouldn't be able to control bachelor gorillas if there were females so close by. They envisaged a separate house for a breeding group, perhaps to replace the bongo enclosure. Regarding mixing the mangabeys, they were planning to build a house for them next to the ape house, but anything like that seems unlikely now.
Pertinax do you know if there are any plans to move any of the young bachelor gorillas to a breeding familly group? I was told that Paington acted as a holding facility for if you like teenage gorillas.From this information I would think that the juvenile \young silverbacks would move on to take part in the breeding program. Personally I think that the current gorrila residents of the Paington zoo Ape House should become perminent Paington residents! However I think it's in Pertinax's best interests to relocate to another gorilla group,I say this as the younger males have ousted Pertinax from the group as a result of this Pertinax has spent the last few years being cared for in solitary confinement. Also Matadai and Kumbuka havent been replaced so I think it'll do the group dynamics good if two younger males join the slightly older fellas.
Mixing species certainly seen very fashionable - just wondering what size a group would have to be, before the resulting losses would be acceptable...?
That was how it started out and nearly all the earlier males found places as silverbacks in breeding groups, though Awali is now in another bachelor group as he proved no use as a breeding male. But the situation is different now; the current three younger males(and Pertinax) are less likely to follow suit as they are from genetically very well-represented backgrounds. I believe they are far more likely just to stay as they are. Adding any younger males to an established group of adult males is not easy so I rather doubt this will be attempted either. I don't expect any changes in the shorter term.
I think your guess is a good as mine. With a bachelor group of male monkeys, any loss is less significant as they are generally 'surplus' to the breeding population anyway. I don't know what the loss rate generally is in these mixings either, or exact reasons, but I know some zoos have discontinued with them, though the reasons aren't usually given.
