Beiträge zur Menschenaffenhaltung im Zoo Berlin nach 1945.: 2. Mitteilung: Bonobos oder Zwergschimpansen (Pan paniscus) Keeping and breeding of Great apes in Berlin Zoo after 1945. 2. Bonobos or Pigmy chimpanzees (Pan paniscus)

The first Bonobo arrived 1987 in Berlin Zoo, the first birth occurred 1995. Up to now four Bonobos were born in Berlin Zoo.     

The Occurrence and Ape-to-Ape Transmission of the Entodiniomorphid Ciliate Troglodytella abrassarti in Captive Gorillas

ABSTRACT. Entodiniomorphid ciliates are often present in the colons of wild apes. In captive apes the infection tends to gradually disappear, with the exception of Troglodytella abrassarti . We used fecal examinations to screen the gorillas ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla ) in European (Czech Republic, UK) and Australian Zoos to explore the ape-to-ape transmission pattern of T. abrassarti . Gorillas from two out of three European Zoos were positive for T. abrassarti , while gorillas from the Australian Zoo were negative. We documented a horizontal transmission of T. abrassarti to a non-infected adult gorilla introduced into a Troglodytella -positive group in the Prague Zoo and traced the origin of the ciliate infection to the Paignton Zoo (UK) using serial fecal examinations. During this study, two infant gorillas born in the Prague Zoo (CZ) first became positive for T. abrassarti at the age of 9 mo. Ciliate morphology and the sequencing of the small subunit rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer rDNA spacer region revealed that T. abrassarti affects both captive gorillas and chimpanzees. We conclude that zoo transport plays a major role in the distribution of T. abrassarti among captive gorillas.     

Haltung und Zucht des Spitzmaulnashorns (Diceros bicornis) im Zoologischen Garten Berlin

The first Black rhino was kept in Berlin Zoo in 1870. After second world war the keeping of Diceros bicornis started in 1954. Between 1981 and 2006 16 births occurred in Berlin Zoo, of which 14 calfs were raised.     

Berliner Nasenaffen - Nachlese

The keeping of Proboscis monkeys in Berlin Zoo starts 1967, the first breeding took place 1971. The highest longevity of a Proboscis monkey born in Berlin Zoo was 17 years and 3 months, the longest time in keeping of an imported animal was nearly 16 years.     

Infant cradling in a captive mother gorilla

The purpose of the study presented here was to investigate the handedness and cradling preferences of a mother gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) from the Metro Toronto Zoo. The study also examined preferences for handedness for each member of the captive group. Observational data were collected using scan sampling at 60‐sec intervals. Handedness was determined with a coordinated bimanual tube test using peanut butter spread on the interior of a PVC tube. Our findings were largely consistent with the literature on laterality in African apes by documenting a left‐side cradling bias for one apparently ambidextrous captive gorilla mother. This bias was associated with a left head positioning preference by her infant. Although based on a single mother/infant pairing, this study indicates that cradling bias is not always determined by maternal handedness. Zoo Biol 27:420–426, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Mycoplasma feriruminatoris sp. nov., a fast growing Mycoplasma species isolated from wild Caprinae

Five Mycoplasma strains from wild Caprinae were analyzed: four from Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) which died at the Berlin Zoo between 1993 and 1994, one from a Rocky Mountain goat collected in the USA prior to 1987. These five strains represented a population different from the populations belonging to the ‘Mycoplasma mycoides cluster’ as tested using multi locus sequence typing, Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry analysis and DNA–DNA hybridization. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene (rrs), genomic sequence based in silico as well as laboratory DNA–DNA hybridization, and the analysis of phenotypic traits in particular their exceptionally rapid growth all confirmed that they do not belong to any Mycoplasma species described to date. We therefore suggest these strains represent a novel species, for which we propose the name Mycoplasma feriruminatoris sp. nov. The type strain is G5847^T (= DSM 26019^T = NCTC 1362^T).     

笼养大猩猩行为研究中瞬时扫描最适取样时间间隔的确定

2009年9～12月以4只大猩猩(Gorilla gorilla)为研究对象,应用瞬时扫描取样法观察记录其活动行为,建立不同取样间隔与数据准确性和数据独立性的线性回归方程,计算变量系数和常数项的95%置信区间,进而确定瞬时扫描法的最适取样间隔。研究结果表明,大猩猩活动主要集中于上午10:00～11:00时和下午14:00～15:00时(χ2=19.110,df=4,P=0.001),不同大猩猩个体间活动行为存在显著差异(Kruskal Wallis Test,χ2=11.229,df=3,P=0.011)。随着取样间隔的增大,间隔取样与连续取样数据的相关系数呈下降趋势,满足数据准确性需求的最适取样间隔为3～13 min,随取样间隔的增大,数据独立可能性逐渐升高,其中满足数据独立性需求的最适取样间隔为2～8 min。综合考虑以上两种因素,确定针对大猩猩活动行为的瞬时扫描取样的最适间隔为3～8 min。     

Pater Davids Hirsch oder Milu (Elaphurus davidianus Milne Edwards, 1866), 150 Jahre, 1865 bis 2015

The population of the Père David's deer or milu (Elaphurus davidianus), which was discovered in China by Père Armand David in 1866, has grown from five, or even merely three individuals, imported from China to approximately 5000 during a time-span of 140 years. We tried to find out more about the origin of the 18 individuals which formed the original herd of the 11^th Duke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey. His breeding-group was the only safeguard for this species between the years 1900 and 1946. Of the 18 individuals three were offspring of Berlin Zoo, three originated from Cologne Zoo and probably all the rest came from the Jardin d‘Acclimatation in Paris. The origin of the breeding herd at the Jardin d‘Acclimatation is not clear. The first individuals either came from Berlin Zoo or were imported directly from China in the years between 1876 and 1886. In Berlin Zoo's breeding records there is a remarkable gap for the years 1879 and 1880. If they came from Berlin Zoo, the imported male and two females would be the sole founders of the herd, and if the Jardin d‘Acclimatation had done an own import, then there would be at least five founders. At Berlin Zoo at least 18 milu calves were born between the years 1878 and 1895. The final destinations of most of these could be traced in literature. Some of them are not quite conclusive yet. We sketched the development of the worldwide zoo-stock of Père David's deer, the return to China and the re-settlement in the original habitat in newly established reserves and finally even outside the reserves. After centuries the milu has again gained the status of a free-living species thanks to the efforts of several zoological gardens, the Dukes of Bedford and the Chinese conservation authorities.     

Haltung und Zucht des Spitzmaulnashorns (Diceros bicornis) im Zoologischen Garten Berlin

The first Black rhino was kept in Berlin Zoo in 1870. After second world war the keeping of Diceros bicornis started in 1954. Between 1981 and 2006 16 births occurred in Berlin Zoo, of which 14 calfs were raised.     

Zur ersten Geburt eines weiblichen schwarzen Springbocks (Antidorcas marsupialis Zimmermann, 1780) seit 25 Jahren im Zoo Hannover

On April, 26th 2009 after 25 years, a female melanistic springbok was born at Hanover Zoo. Melanism is seldom seen at the Bovidae, including springboks. A frequent occurrence was observed around Seekoei-River, Murraysburg, South Africa for this species.In the 70^th of last century 10 black springboks had been raised at Hanover Zoo after an import of melanistic animals from Dvur Kralove, Czech Republik.In February 2011 a second melanistic female springbok was born. She is growing up at Hanover Zoo. Both animals have been integrated to the mixed group (springbok, giraffe, zebra and blesbok) without problems.     

Manual pressure distribution patterns of knuckle‐walking apes

Differences in how the hands of gorillas and chimpanzees contact the ground while knuckle walking have been noted but generally not quantified. It is widely believed that gorillas maintain a pronated arm and contact the ground with digits 2–5 consistently, while chimpanzees have variable arm position and digit contact. To further test these generalizations, distribution of pressure across the manus, peak digital pressures, and hand position were quantified using a pressure mat in eight captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and seven gorillas (Gorilla gorilla). Chimpanzees and gorillas make initial ground contact with the ulnar aspect of the hand and pressure moves radially. They differ in which digit usually makes final contact and receives maximum pressure, and hand position during contact. Gorillas regularly use a palm‐back hand position and touch‐off with digit 2. They show less variation in pressure application across the digits. Chimpanzees are more variable in hand position and pressure application. In both, hand position plays a key role in determining which digit acts as the final touch‐off element. Am J Phys Anthropol 152:44–50, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Beiträge zur Menschenaffenhaltung im Zoo Berlin nach 1945. 4. Mitteilung: Orang-Utans (Pongo pygmaeus)

Since 1955 Orang-Utans (Pongo pygmaeus) have been kept in Berlin Zoo counted in the period after 1945. The first breeding success was registered in 1963. The breeding occurred from this year on up to now. In the first years the young Orang-Utans were raised artificially, but now both breeding groups are taking care of their offspring. The oldest specimens are 34 years (male) and 41 years for one female.     

Diet and seasonal changes in sympatric gorillas and chimpanzees at Kahuzi–Biega National Park

Based on 8 years of observations of a group of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri) and a unit-group of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) living sympatrically in the montane forest at Kahuzi–Biega National Park, we compared their diet and analyzed dietary overlap between them in relation to fruit phenology. Data on fruit consumption were collected mainly from fecal samples, and phenology of preferred ape fruits was estimated by monitoring. Totals of 231 plant foods (116 species) and 137 plant foods (104 species) were recorded for gorillas and chimpanzees, respectively. Among these, 38% of gorilla foods and 64% of chimpanzee foods were eaten by both apes. Fruits accounted for the largest overlap between them (77% for gorillas and 59% for chimpanzees). Gorillas consumed more species of vegetative foods (especially bark) exclusively whereas chimpanzees consumed more species of fruits and animal foods exclusively. Although the number of fruit species available in the montane forest of Kahuzi is much lower than that in lowland forest, the number of fruit species per chimpanzee fecal sample (average 2.7 species) was similar to that for chimpanzees in the lowland habitats. By contrast, the number of fruit species per gorilla fecal sample (average 0.8 species) was much lower than that for gorillas in the lowland habitats. Fruit consumption by both apes tended to increase during the dry season when ripe fruits were more abundant in their habitat. However, the number of fruit species consumed by chimpanzees did not change according to ripe fruit abundance. The species differences in fruit consumption may be attributed to the wide ranging of gorillas and repeated usage of a small range by chimpanzees and/or to avoidance of inter-specific contact by chimpanzees. The different staple foods (leaves and bark for gorillas and fig fruits for chimpanzees) characterize the dietary divergence between them in the montane forest of Kahuzi, where fruit is usually scarce. Gorillas rarely fed on insects, but chimpanzees occasionally fed on bees with honey, which possibly compensate for fruit scarcity. A comparison of dietary overlap between gorillas and chimpanzees across habitats suggests that sympatry may not influence dietary overlap in fruit consumed but may stimulate behavioral divergence to reduce feeding competition between them.     

Digesta Passage,Digestibility and Behavior in Captive Gorillas Under Two Dietary Regimens

Gorilla adaptation has been debated in recent years given the wide variation among diets of gorillas in different habitats. Gorillas are the largest of living primates, have large colons and should be capable of processing tough foods. Preliminary captive studies have suggested that they may well have long average gut retention times relative to smaller hominoids, which should facilitate digestive efficiency in their wild counterparts. Indeed, wild gorillas consume large amounts of fibrous foods as staples or fall-back foods across their range, in response to habitat-related or seasonal changes in fruit availability. Fluctuations in diet might be matched by changes in digesta passage and digestibility, with possible selective retention of harder to digest items. We further studied digestive processes via chemical cobalt and chromium markers to track liquid and solids, as they passed through the guts of gorillas at the San Francisco Zoo (SFZ). In addition, we examined the effects of variation in captive diets on intake, digesta passage, digestion and behavior. The SFZ gorillas exhibited high digestibility coefficients, and gut passage was long relative to those of smaller-bodied hominoids. The results permit us to understand more fully the relationships of digestive processes to adaptation and dietary flexibility in the wild and to inform the development of dietary recommendations to improve the well-being of captive gorillas.     

Foods consumed by sympatric populations ofGorilla g. gorilla andPan t. troglodytes in Gabon: Some preliminary data

Data on foods consumed by gorillas and chimpanzees living in primary forest in Gabon were collected, mainly by examination of the contents of feces. Gorillas ate fruit very regularly (some fruit remains were present in 97.6% of 246 fecal samples examined), in addition to leaves, stems, pith, and bark. Some fruit remains were present in all chimpanzee fecal samples examined. Mean numbers of fruit species per fecal sample were 2.5 for gorillas and 2.1 for chimpanzees. Sixty percent of all identified foods recorded for gorillas were recorded for chimpanzees as well. Our results indicate that important differences in diet exist between western lowland gorillas and the eastern gorilla populations of Kahuzi-Biega and the Virunga Volcanoes. It is now clear that western gorillas cannot be accurately classed as folivores.     

Molecular systematics for taxonomic placement of a gorilla of uncertain origin

An adult male gorilla was donated from private ownership in 1994 to Zoo Atlanta and became part of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association's Gorilla Species Survival Plan. This animal, Ivan, was captured as an infant in Africa in 1964. Ambiguity regarding origin and concomitant sub‐species designation was resolved by analyzing the cytochrome oxidase II mitochondrial gene known to contain eight diagnostic sites for gorilla sub‐species. Ivan has the diagnostic profile that characterizes the western clade Gorilla gorilla gorilla. Zoo Biol 18:429–432, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Using behavior to determine immature life‐stages in captive western gorillas

Ontogenic development is divided into infant, juvenile, adolescent and adult life‐stages. Although the developmental trajectory of an individual is a flexible entity, which differs within species, environment and sex, life‐stage classifications are generally structured, age‐based systems. This invariably leads to rigidity within a dynamic system and consequently hampers our understanding of primate life history strategies. We propose that life‐stage classifications should be quantitative, flexible entities, which use a reliable measurement of development. Here, we provide a methodological example where placement into a life‐stage is based upon behavioral variance between other similar‐aged individuals. Behavioral data were collected from 12 male (3–11 years old) and 9 female (3–8 years old) captive immature western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) housed in five family groups, using continuous focal sampling; 900 hr of data were collected over 131 days. Data were applied to four published life‐stage classifications for mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), which showed variable ability to determine life‐stage in western gorillas. A new life‐stage classification (Hutchinson & Fletcher) was proposed specifically for western gorillas, whereby multiple co‐varying behavior provided a robust measure of linear development across immaturity. Each life‐stage was found to be a distinct ontogenic phase and the classification discriminated life‐stage with a high level of accuracy. Using the Hutchinson & Fletcher classification we provide evidence for disparity in developmental trajectories between the sexes from the juvenile period onwards. To expand the understanding of primate life histories, we propose that flexible classifications should be used to enable comparison of allometric life history traits within and between species, from birth onwards. Am. J. Primatol. 72:492–501, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Insect-eating by sympatric Lowland gorillas (Gorilla g. gorilla) and chimpanzees (Pan t. troglodytes) in the Lopé Reserve,Gabon

Sympatric populations of lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) in the Lopé Reserve in central Gabon consumed insects at similar average frequencies over a 7-year period (30% versus 31% feces contained insect remains). Data came mostly from fecal analysis supplemented by observation and trail evidence. The weaver ant (Oecophylla longinoda) was the species eaten most frequently by both gorillas and chimpanzees. Other species of insects wore eaten but there was virtually no overlap: Chimpanzees used tools to eat Apis bees (and their honey) and two large species of ants; gorillas ate three species of small ants. Thus, despite their shared habitat, the esources utilized were not identical as gorillas do not show the tool-use “technology” of chimpanzees. The frequency of insect-eating by both species of ape varied seasonally and between years but in different ways. This variation did not seem to be related to the ratio of fruit to foliage in their diets. Gorillas of all age-classes ate insects at similar rates. Comparisons with insectivory by other populations of gorillas indicate differences exist. Mountain gorillas (Gorilla g. beringei) in the Virunga Volcanoes, Rwanda, consume thousands of invertebrates daily, eating them inadvertently with handfuls of herbaceous foods but they deliberately ingest insect-foods only rarely. Lowland gorillas at Lopé habitually ate social insects, and their selective processing of herbaceous foods probably minimizes inadvertent consumption of other invertebrates. Gorillas at Belinga in northeastern Gabon, 250 km from Lop6, ate social insects at similar rates but ignored weaver ants in favor of Cubitermes sulcifrons, a small species of termite that occurs at Lopé but was not eaten by gorillas. This indicates that local traditions similar to those reported for chimpanzees also exist amongst populations of gorillas. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Behavioural changes of two female zoo-held western lowland gorillas,after the introduction of a silverback male

Behavioural observations of the two female western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) composing an all-female group in Artis Royal Zoo (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) were evaluated. The two females had been observed for one-hr periods over a 166- day period, divided into a period before, and a period after the introduction of a new silverback male. Step intervention analysis showed that in both females locomotion and stereotypic behaviour significantly decreased after the introduction of the silverback. In one of the two females the public interaction also decreased significantly.