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Management of Gelada Baboons at Colchester Zoo

Management of Gelada Baboons at Colchester Zoo. Ashley Lamb Deputy Head of section. The Colchester backstory??. First arrived at Colchester Zoo in early 2002 Arrival of breeding male in Jan ‘03 Successful Breeding! Risk of Inbreeding Departure of Junior in March ‘11. The Colchester group.

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Management of Gelada Baboons at Colchester Zoo

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  1. Management of Gelada Baboons at Colchester Zoo Ashley Lamb Deputy Head of section

  2. The Colchester backstory?? • First arrived at Colchester Zoo in early 2002 • Arrival of breeding male in Jan ‘03 • Successful Breeding! • Risk of Inbreeding • Departure of Junior in March ‘11

  3. The Colchester group

  4. Females mena Malaika

  5. Thandi Keecha

  6. Males Mzuri Jabu

  7. JJ

  8. Arrival of new breeding males (may ‘11)

  9. New males Bosso Bruno

  10. Bosso and Bruno separated from existing group with visual access • Positive male behaviour • Good signs from existing group • Mixed after one week

  11. Initial split of the group And the problems it brought

  12. Bosso took position of dominant male with Malaika,Thandi and eventually Mena • One that got away?! • Bruno the outsider • Serious injuries to Mena • JJ neglected at just 3 months • Infanticide

  13. Bruno over following months • Outsider? • Close bond with Mzuri • Caring for JJ • Interest from Keecha • Becoming slighty more aggressive

  14. Bosso over following months • All signs of being dominant • Infanticide? • Broken relationship with Bruno • 1st offspring born!

  15. EZRI

  16. Clever bruno?? • Never too far away from the group • Always kept bonds via Mzuriand JJ • Started to put pressure on Bosso mentally • Confirmed Keecha as his 1st female in early ‘12 • Mid ‘12 took his 2nd female in Mena • Dominant female and evenly balanced in terms of females • Upper hand in a number of more serious fights

  17. The turning point! November 2012

  18. The fight……. • Biggest fight between the group in 18 months with multiple injuries • Jabu- Knocked down, stitched and blood clot removed • Bruno- Large gash to his head • Thandi- Deep laceration to her chest • Bosso separated from group but remained in enclosure

  19. ……and the aftermath • Loss of Ezri!- Jan ’13 • Over 1 year old • Beaten • Serious bite wounds to arm and side • Broken leg • Infanticide or accident? • Loyal to Bosso • Bruno seized his opportunity! • Malaikastayed loyal…..ish • Bosso released! • Naughty Malaika! • Thandi remained Bruno’s • Ezri at great risk infanticide!

  20. bosso! A Primate on the edge!!

  21. Bosso • Temporary? • Enrichment • ‘Zoo Derm’ • Zylkene • Buspirone • STRESS! • ‘Over-herding’ of females • Fur loss • Spinning • Self-harming

  22. Training • My challenge • Take food from my hand • Basic clicker • Target • Small training hatch and station

  23. Present and future of geladas at Colchester?

  24. At this very moment…. • Two breeding males, as appose to the one • Bosso with one female (Malaika) • Bruno with three females (Mena, Thandi and Keecha) • Three males including Mzuri (nearly seven!!) • Bruno and Keecha’s 1st offspring born 16th Feb named Kwame • Mena had her SIXTH offspring on 11th March with Bruno, male named Obi • Thandi had female, Layla, on 1st September • Malaika had offsping 28th September

  25. BABIES!!!!

  26. The Future? • Removal of Bosso? • Mzurireaching sexual maturity • ‘Kill two bird’s with one stone’? • Push for a bigger enclosure? • Minimum of two indoor housing • Source more females to hold a bigger group • Improve the chances of a more even split? • Risk of making Bosso’s situation much worse

  27. What have we learnt at Colchester? • Never make assumptions when it comes to your animals!! • Massive learning curve • Went as we expected…..sort of?! • Massive help in terms of the EEP • We wouldn’t do a lot different • Would encourage other collections to do the same • And so will we in 4-5 years time!!

  28. Thank you!! Questions?!?!?

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