One day with Monta & Rola - Part 1/2 (unreleased)

Описание: 📷 202410 wk2 part 1/2
📍Chiba Zoo

This video is unreleased footage of Rola and Monta I filmed in the second week of October 2024. I stayed at the zoo from opening to closing. The footage has been divided into two parts. In loving memory of our sweet Rola.

Previous▶︎   • In loving memory of Rola the gorilla  
Next▶︎   • One Day with Monta & Rola - Part 2/2（unrel...  

My blog post in Japanese with my personal reflections on the day of my visit👇
https://note.com/z4conservation/n/n90...

About Western Lowland Gorilla
Gorilla gorilla gorilla
Habitat: The most widespread gorilla subspecies, it can be found across more than 700,000 km² of Central and West Africa.
Lifespan: 35 yrs in the wild (up to 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 its 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 of the 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 gorilla Nice & Merry (Monta & Momoko) ...  
2️⃣ When Monta & Momoko were at Chiba Zoo    • Story when gorillas, Momoko, Monta & Goro,...  
3️⃣ When Momoko & Momotaro were at Chiba Zoo    • Story when Monta, Momoko & Momotaro were a...  

ROLA ♀
1977/09/21 - 2025/05/15
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 she lived with him until he passed away in 2016.
• 2009 - 2010: The zoo tried pairing up Monta with Rola several times. It didn't go well. Both ended up living separately.
• 2025/4/25: Rola became unable to move by herself in the outside enclosure.
• 2025/5/15: Rola passed away.
Her cause of death: pulmonary edema due to complications from anesthesia
(Fore more details about her death, please see my tribute video.)
When the zoo tried pairing up Monta with Rola    • Story of paring up gorilla Monta with Rola...  
"Regurgitation and Reingestion" by Rola    • Regurgitation & Reingestion by female gori...  
Tribute for Rola    • Goodbye, Rola. We miss you.  

Rola had difficulty in communicating with other gorillas. Especially when she was put with a silverback, she became ill, except with an individual like Kenta, who had no interest in gorillas. She loved sunbathing. She occasionally exhibited abnormal behaviors such as coprophagy, licking urine, and R/R (regurgitation and reingestion). She often showed discomfort in her mouth, probably due to her serious dental issues. Rola always searched for earthworms as her companions.

Chiba Zoo became an accredited member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in 2015 with recommendations from Tama Zoo and Ueno Zoo. Contact: https://www.waza.org/contact/

References
Savage & Wyman, 1847. International studbook for the western lowland gorilla Gorilla g. Gorilla
GAIN Great Ape Information Network
IUCN - Gorilla gorilla ssp. gorilla, Western Lowland Gorilla
The Gorilla Organization

#WAZA #JAZA #千葉市