Silverback gorilla Monta is on alert. Purring and banging #1/5 CHIBA ZOO 千葉市動物公園ゴリラ（0084）

Описание: Filmed: June 2022

⚠️Some parts of the video are shaky due to my lack of experience in handling the camera. If you feel dizzy, please refrain from watching.

In this episode, Monta is on alert against something. It could be me or noise made by other monkeys. He then settles in and resumes having his breakfast. The video then moves on to the indoor exhibit, where Monta gives me or some other visitors a cool greeting by banging on the viewing window. Monta is not so young now, but he is a gorgeous, beautiful silverback. I hope you get to know him more by watching my video. Thank you for watching!

About Western Lowland Gorilla
Gorilla gorilla gorilla
Habitat: The most widespread gorilla subspecies, and can be found across more than 700,000 km2 of central and West Africa.
Lifespan: 35 yrs in the wild (upto 60 yrs in captivity)
IUCN Red List : Critically Endangered
It is the smallest of the four gorilla subspecies, which also include the Cross River gorillas, Grauer’s gorillas, and mountain gorillas. It has shorter black-brown hair, longer arms, and a more prominent ridge along their brow. The adult males called silverbacks have silvery-grey hair on their backs and thighs. Their heads are large and pointed, with a sagittal crest forming the back of the top head. Its population has been decreasing due to poaching and disease. The estimated population in 2013 was almost 362,000 individuals (IUCNredlist.org). Fewer than 150,000 western lowland gorillas remain in the wild (gorillas.org).

MONTA ♂
DOB:1984/09/25 in Spain or 1986 in Africa?
Ownership: Chiba Zoo
•1987: Monta and Momoko were transferred from Spain to Japan. (age 1 or 3?)
They were kept at Aritake Chojuten Co. Ltd, the animal dealer until they moved to Chiba Zoo in 1993.
•1993/03: He and Momoko were transferred to Chiba Zoological Park.
NB: The credibility of his birth info is uncertain.

Monta and Momoko grew up together. They were infants when they arrived in Japan. However, due to the allegation of illegal trade, they spent a few years at the animal dealer's place until the allegation was cleared. He desperately needs a companion to live as his kind. He's been living alone most of his adult life. From 2009 until 2010, the zoo tried pairing up Monta and Rola several times. It didn't go well. Since then, he has been all alone. The system of changing keepers at short intervals is problematic because it leads to a lack of technical training and hinders the management of the gorillas' physical and mental health. Although it has been more than 30 years since the zoo began keeping gorillas, unfortunately, both manpower and facilities are not in place to be able to manage gorillas in a group.

1️⃣ How Monta & Momoko came to Japan    • How Gorillas Nice & Merry (Monta & Momoko)...  
2️⃣ When Monta & Momoko were at Chiba Zoo    • The Story When Momoko, Monta & Goro Were a...  
3️⃣ When Momoko & Momotaro were at Chiba Zoo    • The Story of When Monta, Momoko & Momotaro...  

ROLA ♀
DOB:1977/09/21
POB: Beppu Cable Rakutenchi, Japan
Sire: Gonta｜Dam: Rirako
Rearing: Hand-reared
Ownership: Ueno Zoo
•1977/09: Rola was born and was being hand reared in a vet's house. No trial was attempted to return her to Rirako.
•1980/11: Transferred to Tobu Zoo
Basically she was living alone but her keeper played with her so she wouldn't feel lonely.
•1993/10: Transferred to Ueno Zoo, and lived with her mother, Rirako, and other gorillas.
•2008/12: She and Kenta were transferred to Chiba Zoo and lived with him until he passed away in 2016.

Rola has difficulty in communicating with other gorillas. Especially when she is put with a silverback, she becomes ill except with an individual like Kenta who had no interest in gorillas. She loves sunbathing. She occasionally exhibits abnormal behaviors such as coprophagy, licking urine, regurgitation and reingestion. Rola always searches for earthworms as her companions. But they have a short life-span, plus they disappear in cold weather. I hope the zoo will consider the option of Rola living with other small animals. It may help solve her abnormal behaviors and loneliness.

When the zoo tried pairing up Monta with Rola    • Monta and Rola: A Pairing Story at Chiba Zoo  
Video focusing on "Regurgitation and Reingestion" by Rola    • Regurgitation & Reingestion by female gori...  

References
GAIN Great Ape Information Network
IUCN - Gorilla gorilla ssp. gorilla, Western Lowland Gorilla
The Gorilla Organization

Link
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA)
https://www.waza.org/
With recommendation from Tama Zoo and Ueno Zoo, Chiba Zoological Park was acknowledged as a member of WAZA in 2015.

Sounds
1. Our Days of Bliss - Alice Spence
2. Postcard Paradise - Ballpoint
3. A Room for Two - Jon Bjork

#WildlifeConservation #ZoosForConservation #EndangeredSpecies