Are all Moloch gibbons unrelated and new imports? Can you tell me which animals they keep: names and estimated dates of birth? Have Taronga's Moloch gibbon not bred in the past? What chance of any breeders coming in from Indonesia's confiscated lot (PKBSI runs a breeding programme)?
Perth zoo have had great success in breeding Silvery gibbons. Regina, the female at Taronga was born at Perth to their breeding pair, Jury and Hecla. Hecla was born at Winnipeg and has many siblings, two of her sisters are part of the breeding pairs that have produced many of the young in the last decade or so. Jury was born of a wild born pair and is their only young. Tarongas male is Halimun. He was born of a wild caugt pair, Imran and Marlene. He has several siblings. Many of the young animals born at the three or four breeding institutions are thus related to Tarongas pair. Tarongas pair have never yet bred. This information was obtatined from the 2005 studbook which is on the net http://www.gibbons.de/main2/04zoogibbons/int_moloch/int_moloch2005.pdf I don't know the details of why Indonesia won't release extra animals into western zoos. There are a lot of confiscated pets in Java. I do know that Perth is heavily involved in a program to release confiscated animals back into the wild. Maybe Australia Zoo should work their diplomatic magic and obtain a new unrelated pair from Indonesia.
On the issue of Indonesia allowing its animals (even surplus ones) to come to western zoos, it seems to be the rather prickly issue of national pride which is getting in the way. (Which is a bit rough considering the millions of dollars in foreign aid that Indonesia gets from the west.) That's why, for all the bagging she's been getting, Terri Irwin has done wonders getting some fresh Sumatran tiger blood. Australia ( and the rest of the world) sure need it! Oh, and thanks glyn for info about the furnishing of Taronga's gibbon enclosure. I haven't been there for a while and I'm glad that someone has improved the situation.
thats cool man although i was unaware that it ever was 'unfurnished' i hope that Indonesia releases some more animals to invigorate the western zoo gene pool. if any animals can be obtained we will need them here in Australia. with very few bloodlines in Australia and most of them represented internationally the importation of new stock will be a tricky situation. the future of this program is closely tied to the acquisition of new stock, both regionally and internationally. on another note, if this does not occur which would be incredibly worrying given the species precarious wild status it would be annoying if the Silvery Gibbon program was rolled back in this country, as, (and rightly so) space was made for this critically endangered species costing us other primate species.
I agree with you all that Australia and other regions now require new genetically unrelated founders for their individual breeding programmes and that it would be for the benefit of this endangered great ape species. What most fail to realise and which I have underlined all the time is the issue of reciprocity. The Indonesians are not keen to release any moloch gibbons if the international community does not provide assistance or funding for the dire situation for the species in situ and equally by improve captive-conditions and breeding prospects in Indonesia's PKBSI zoos in return. More zoos - also those in Australia (apart from Perth Zoo) - should acknowledge much more needs to be done in situ for which outside funding is required to kickstart things and could be gained if "western" zoos are seen to support zoos in cash-strapped nations like Indonesia (where consequently the issue of poverty is closely linked to in situ environmental destruction - which also is driven by aka UK, US, EU, Australia and Japan. A good example of real reciprocal cooperation has been the setting up of the Schmutzer Center at Ragunan Zoo, Jakarta by the John Aspinall Foundation (in return Port Lympne received banded langurs and several other species that are now part of internationally acclaimed breeding programmes). JAF still has a presence at Schmutzer and is currently involved in relocation of some surplus Moloch gibbons back to Port Lympne. I know of the ARAZPA endorsed project Silvery Gibbon at the Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park site for rehabilitation and captive-breeding of Moloch gibbons which was set up by the late curator Reg Gates of Perth Zoo. The center is fully staffed by Indonesian animal care keepers and a curator. Recently, the center has been relocated and currently their is a desperate need for funds to construct a state of the art holding and breeding facility to house the current Molochs and a larger number of Molochs to be absorbed into the center. I think realistically Indonesia will only provide foreign zoos with captive-bred specimens as part of an MoU like is happening with Phillipines endangered fauna using animals from this facility, the Schmutzer Center (wild caught specimens) and the Taman Safari, Bogor facility for gibbons. Cashwise it is not that hard and really only $10,000 would simply hold the entire programme together! So, come on ... visit the site The Silvery Gibbon Project | Adoptions and adopt 1 gibbon yourself. For just $75,00! you are doing something extremely and the money is well spent!
