She very rarely initiates conflict anymore. Juju has mellowed out in her advanced age and after bouts of health issues. This might look alarming to the untrained eye, but it’s all normal conflict resolution for gorillas. They also chase, vocalize, or make noise with objects near them. To communicate they’re not thrilled with something that’s happening, gorillas will ‘stiff stance,’ which is when a gorilla stands on all fours with stiff front arms while facing another gorilla intensely. They’re a family that lives together 24/7, so, like any family, they have disagreements and they work them out in their own way. With the change in her hormones, the rest of the troop will likely adapt to her behaviors, too. Of all the females, keepers say Asha led the way in helping Goma get settled into the troop. She previously taught breeding behaviors to another silverback. He’s learned so much already, so we’re hopeful he’ll be able to learn this new role, too.”Īsha has experience as a teacher. Asha and Goma sit, sleep and eat comfortably near each other, within about five feet, which is promising. “That’s not the case with confident Asha. “We haven’t seen any breeding behavior from Goma yet,” said Eleanor Knox, senior keeper in Primate World. What’s more likely is that inexperienced Goma simply doesn’t know what to do yet. If Goma were human, some might think he’s playing hard to get. The end of birth control means Asha’s hormones will shift, so it’s likely she’ll be even more motivated to get on his radar. She throws hay and plays near him to get his attention, but Goma hasn’t responded. Keepers have seen ‘flirting behavior,’ from Asha, where she’ll sit extra close to Goma or stare intensely at him. In the coming months, keepers will end Asha’s oral contraception (birth control). The Western Lowland Gorilla Species Survival Plan recommended Goma and Asha to breed, and although Goma has no experience in that department, they’re hopeful Asha will lead the way. “Now that they’re living together comfortably all the time, we can start working on one of the main reasons he came here: to hopefully help bring a bundle of joy to the group.” “It’s a fine line because he had to gain their respect, but also show them respect,” said Jon Wild, lead keeper in Primate World. He had to learn how to lead and communicate with females, 30-year-old Asha, 30-year-old Kwisha, 42-year-old Juju and 46-year-old Roxie. Joining a tightly bonded group of females was no easy task for the silverback, who came from a bachelor group without much experience living in a traditional family unit. Goma came to CMZoo on a breeding recommendation in 2016. After seven years of settling in, the Western lowland gorillas at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo are officially a cohesive troop! 32-year-old Goma – the troop’s silverback – is living with the four females full-time, which means they’re ready to take the next step as a family.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |