Showing posts with label Zoo Atlanta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zoo Atlanta. Show all posts

Friday, July 27, 2018

HOT TOPIC! - Free Ndume From The Gorilla Foundation - Letter Writing Campaign - UPDATED 7.29.18

UPDATED 7.29.18 ... I updated the contact information for the AZA/SSP contact list at the end of this post.

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First I want to thank all my readers who usually follow this blog for San Francisco Zoo content.  I know I've written exclusively about Ndume for the last few posts.  Since The Gorilla Foundation is local, I've known about Koko almost my whole life, and since her passing all I can think about is the Gorilla she left behind.  I need to use this forum as a way to bring attention to the plight of Ndume.  Thank you for reading my posts, and hopefully sharing information about him.  Together hopefully we can all change his situation and get him a wonderful home for the rest of his life. 

The post before last, I noted several people (and their contact information) within the AZA/SSP organization that deals with Gorillas.  I will post that info again at the end of this post.  

What is the goal?  The end goal is to get the AZA/SSP to find Ndume a home suitable for a Gorilla, not continue to leave him in isolation.  Ndume has been without a Gorilla Family for 27 years.  Right now, this first round of letters, my goal is to get answers.  For the AZA/SSP to be transparent about their intentions with Ndume.  

The AZA/SSP has been aware of Ndume's situation for years.  Contrary to what they have been fed by The Gorilla Foundation, it has been documented for many years, by many who have left TGF, that Ndume, like Michael before him and always for Koko, have lived isolated from each other.  They may have seen each other for short periods of time, but allegedly TGF spin machine makes it seem like more, like they co-habitat.  That is simply not the truth.  Now that Koko is gone, there is not even the chance that Ndume will see another Gorilla.  How can authoritative cogs in the machine even morally continue to allow this to be a Great Apes life?  

Anyone who reads this, please take a moment to be a Voice for Ndume.  If you need to educate yourself more before getting involved please visit the Facebook Page,  https://www.facebook.com/TeamNdume  The person who started it , worked at The Gorilla Foundation and many of  the comments are posted by other former staff members.  All Caregivers to Ndume and Koko.  All who know first hand what really went on there and the need to get Ndume out of there.  Please help and let's not let Ndume spend the rest of his life alone.  To quote Jodi Carrigan, Asst Primate Curator from Zoo Atlanta, “Just like you have your Friends, Gorillas need Gorilla Friends."   

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AZA Animal Program Leaders (Gorilla)  ... Email Contacts listed below.

Ape TAG Chair:

>Tara Stoinski, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International  ... info@gorillafund.org  
ATTN: Tara Stoinski in subject line

Ape TAG Vice Chair:

>Tracy Fenn, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens ... FennT@jacksonvillezoo.org

Western Lowland Gorilla SSP Coordinator: 

>Kristen Lukas, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo ... kel@clevelandmetroparks.com

Western Lowland Gorilla SSP Vice Coordinator:

>Rachel Daneault, Disney's Animal Kingdom  ... guest.services@disneyworld.com 
Attn: Rachel Daneault in subject line.

Western Lowland Gorilla Studbook Keeper: 

>Roby Elsner, Audubon Zoo ... No longer at Audubon Zoo. Now at Bronx Zoo.  guestrelations@wcs.org ... ATTN Roby Elsner in subject line

Ape TAG Education Advisors:

>Connie Kassner, Cameron Park Zoo ... conniek@wacotx.gov

>Sandi Linn, SaveNature.Org ... No longer associated with AZA or TAG

>Nadine Kocanjer, Disney's Animal Kingdom ... guest.services@disneyworld.com 
Attn: Nadine Kocanjer in subject line.

Western Lowland Gorilla SSP Conservation Advisors:

> Rich Bergl, North Carolina Zoological Park  ... richard.bergl@nczoo.org

>Tara Stoinski, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International ... see above contact info.

Additional Contacts. 


>Maureen Leahy,  Lincoln Park Zoo
... ealtimari@lpzoo.org  ...  ATTN Maureen Leahy in Subject line

>Hugh Bailey,  Woodland Park Zoo 
zooinfo@zoo.org ... ATTN Hugh Bailey in subject line

>Beth Schaeffer,  Los Angeles Zoo 
info@lazoo.org  ... ATTN Beth Schaeffer in subject line

>Dusty Lombardi,Columbus Zoo 
 info@columbuszoo.org ... ATTN Dusty Lombardi in subject line

I deliberately did not contact the following two people because Ndume has already been housed at both these Zoos unfavorably. 

Craig Demitros, Brookfield Zoo
Ron Evans, Cincinnati Zoo

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This is the letter I sent off to everyone on this list. 

Hello ... ,

I am writing to you as your name appears on the AZA website as a Program Leader for Gorillas.

I am inquiring about the future of Gorilla Ndume currently residing at The Gorilla Foundation.

Like most, I have known about Koko most of my life.  I am a San Francisco native and through my interest in Great Apes, I have come in contact with many who have known and worked with Koko, as well Michael and Ndume.  Sadly, I have been privvy to unfortunate truths about The Gorilla Foundation.  That said, I have concerns about Ndume.

In your position, you must know the simple fact,  Ndume has been living in isolation for 27 years.  How or why he was sent there to live a life without contact with other Gorillas, I don't know.  That is the past, what is his future?

With the passing of Koko, has there been any discussion in the AZA/SSP community to remove Ndume from The Gorilla Foundation, and find a more suitable, frankly more humane environment for him to live out his life in?  

The Gorilla Foundation has put forth via social media that they intend to ".. continue their mission" and "seek a Gorilla Family for Ndume" .  This is considered outrageous by many.  Project Penny, or rather Koko should not have lasted as long as it did in the first place, but Penny owned Koko so nothing could be done.  Ndume is in the AZA system and should never have been allowed to live without a Gorilla Family for 27 years.  Its unconscionable. 

From all research I have done, it is obvious Cincinnati Zoo who owns Ndume does not want him.  It is curious, that after the Harambe tragedy, when a vacant space for a Silverback was created, that he was not recalled.  Can you tell me why that is?  I understand Ndume is genetically not desirable in the breeding program at this time, but I was told the females in Harambe's group were non-breeding.  

Regardless of all, why has Ndume never been removed from the isolation at The Gorilla Foundation and placed with non-breeding females, or in a Bachelor group?

As a San Francisco Zoo visitor, I have presented in a blog post (linked at the end) some ideas for moving him there, it is geographically ideal, there is a Keeper on staff who has worked with Ndume in the past, and his Sister Bawang lives there. I have also noted another facility, Zoo Atlanta who helped Gorilla Ivan who came from an isolated situation as well.  

To quote Zoo Atlanta Asst Primate Curator Jodi Carrigan, “Just like you have your Friends, Gorillas need Gorilla Friends."   

Ndume needs Friends and the AZA/SSP has the authority to make that happen.  

Thank you.  Look forward to your reply.

Kim

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Sunday, July 22, 2018

Ndume's Sister Lives at SFZoo! + Blog Comment Supporting SFZoo Idea

"NOT rolling my eyes! These are good ideas and presented realistically. I am sure some of the triple grotto could be used; years ago brothers Barney and Shango were placed temporarily in one of those enclosures before they were moved to another zoo."  - Joanne Tanner

I received this comment to my previous blog post, where I presented ideas as to how the San Francisco Zoo could help Ndume.  This comment came from Dr Joanne Tanner.  Highly regarded, Joanne has observed the San Francisco Zoo Gorilla Family for many years, starting in the late 1980s. She has also worked with Koko and Michael at The Gorilla Foundation.

Please view her site for wonderful documentation on her observations and links to her published works on the subject.


I thank her for this information.  It not only confirms that my ideas can be done, because they have,  but it also confirms my memory of seeing Gorillas in the South Grotto!  No one else I've talked to ever remembers this.  Before Gorilla World, the Gorillas lived in the exhibit where Mandrills currently are, but I knew I had seen them at triple grotto!

I also want to include this, as I forgot to in my previous post. 

This is Bawang.  

She has lived at the San Francisco Zoo since 1981, when she was 18 months old.  She was born at the Cincinnati Zoo.  Ndume is her half-brother.  He was just two months old when she was transferred to SFZoo, but they were living as Family.   Ndume is Bawang's Family.

Bawang was also Kubie's life mate.  They had three babies.  Barney, Shango, and Nneka.  Kubie was Koko's brother.  If Koko had not been kidnapped and sold, she would have grown up with her brother and his Family. 

I've made a video to support the crusade to get Ndume a new home.  Please Share. 

Free Koko the Gorilla's Friend - Ndume Needs A New Home.

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Saturday, July 21, 2018

HOT TOPIC! - Could, Should, and Would The San Francisco Zoo Give Ndume a Home?

Could, with alot of work, yes. Would, probably not.  Should, I think they should try to.  In my opinion, the San Francisco Zoo even if we are reaching back almost 45+ years, were instrumental in what has become The Gorilla Foundation, when they took an infant Gorilla named Koko from her Mother and Family, and sold her to Penny Patterson.  That action had Koko living her whole life being treated as a Human, and never having the chance to be a Gorilla.  They owe it to Koko and her Family to help the last Being, being held in captive isolation by TGF.  It would be good Karma.

It would also be good Karma is for The Gorilla Foundation to donate whatever funds they have received from their Koko's Legacy campaign to any facility who takes Ndume.  Living at TGF for 27 yrs isolated from a life with other Gorillas will probably mean he will need go through some socialization training so he can, and  hopefully he can, be reintroduced into a Gorilla group.  There will most definitely be additional costs for housing him through that stage.  Most Zoos aren't prepared with a space to house a large animal and one with strength like a Great Ape, in an unusual situation like this, but that doesn't mean it can't be done.  The AZA/SSP need to figure out who's going to do it and soon.

The San Francisco Zoo is currently renovating part of their Pachyderm to expand the Chimpanzee space and accommodate for the addition to that group.  Once that is completed it will open up two additional recreation areas and a six bedroom night quarters. The current Chimp area consists of a three island moated area built in the late 60s that also housed Orangutans at one time.  The triple grotto will under go a renovation in the future not only because it needs it, but because the Zoo aspires to have Orangutans again.  I have only seen an old design of the proposed renovation.  I have written about this before, and frankly with the lack of space to hold the Chimps for the duration of a huge project like that, and the lack of funds I imagine this project will yield, the Zoo is better off working with what they got by filling in the moat and glassing it in to make a larger yard.  Using the three grottos, and an adjacent south area, it would be ideal to make it into two yards, that could be used either as one huge area or two independent areas at different times.

The above all said, in its current and upcoming state with the new Pachy area opening, it could quite possibly present a temporary area to house Ndume, if areas could be partitioned.  For example, in the current triple grotto, a bedroom and use of the south grotto yard.  In the Pachy, use of a bedroom and the new yard currently under construction.  Of course for a time this would reduce a small area for the Chimps, but they are also gaining areas.  I championed for the Chimps to get new areas and friends, so I would never suggest anything to deny them that.  I just think there is a way to help an Animal in need.  The SFZoo is in an ideal situation, if even a temporary one.  It is geographically located to The Gorilla Foundation, for short transport and in case there was a need for their assistance, and there is already someone on staff at the SFZoo who knows and has worked with Ndume before.  Additionally, there are so many people over the last 27 years that worked at TGF who were forced to leave because they morally couldn't stay there any longer.  They love and miss Ndume, as they did Koko and Michael before him.  I'm sure they would love to be able to see Ndume again and see that he is in a better place.

Could SFZoo be a forever home for Ndume?  If he could be socialized to be with other Gorillas, no.  He should be placed in a Bachelor group.  SFZoo already has a Silverback and intact Family group.  If he couldn't be with other Gorillas, and funds became available (there are many ideas for this to happen) to build an enclosure for him, yes, the SFZoo could provide him a home as well as any other Zoo could.  I could see a new yard that would house him and small Primates built close to the the current Gorilla World.  There is an area to the west, as well areas that has been cleared south of the perimeter of the GW exhibit, particularly an area of good size, that could extend to the front of the GW viewing area.  It could even attach to GW via skytrail to where he could be housed in the GW night quarters with the others, if that's even possible to have two Silverbacks contained in the same area.  Again, not my area of knowledge.

I know that the people at the Zoo will read this and be like she's just a crazy person with these ideas but the reality is that no matter what Zoo he goes to there's the chance that he'll need his own enclosure.  Most likely in any Zoo that will mean an enclosure that is newly built.  So thinking how it could work with what I know, in my corner of the world which happens to be the same corner that Ndume is in, isn't that far-fetched.  Now the San Francisco Zoo is currently as I noted under construction with the Chimp renovation and then they have this huge self indulgent project that they shouldn't even be doing at this time scheduled to start within the next few months, so I'm sure they'll be like, oh we're not taking on anything else, in addition to thinking about funding because the way the San Francisco Zoo works is if donors don't want it it doesn't get done.  That's why the Chimps had to wait three decades for new stuff, because shamefully, none of the Zoological Society donors wanted to help them.  There's a lot coming out about the Gorilla Foundation in different forums in the wake of Koko's passing, not just by me, and for a lot of people, this is the first time anyone is hearing about it.  So it's not going to be a surprise that people will want Ndume moved and whoever does take him in, will be looked at as Heroes because they'll be rescuing him from an awful situation.

So yea, my mind works quickly to problem solve.  Most, will roll their eyes at my ideas,  but at least I'm trying to come up with solutions using the information I have access to.  The AZA/SSP and Zoo community sure don't seem to being doing anything.  So maybe my ideas are far-fetched, not on any radar, and probably a fantasy, but at least I care enough to think about Ndume and his future and regardless of whether my top of the head ideas would work, maybe it will poke the AZA/SSP and their accredited Zoos, who need to put on their thinking caps and figure out who is going to help give this poor Soul a home and soon.  He was dumped at TGF 27 years ago, and forgotten about.  Left to languish in isolation.  The AZA/SSP needs to find him a home.  There are over two dozen Bachelor Groups in their Zoos, someone has got to have a place for him.

As I noted, what I've learned about Ndume, he will most likely need socialization training.  What that will entail and how long that will take, is not my area of knowledge.  What I do know is he needs to get out of isolation. He need to be a place where he can be with others even if they aren't Gorillas.  In the past the Detroit Zoo housed Koko's half-brother Sunshine with Diana Monkeys and Mandrills.  If it is determined that Ndume can't be introduced in a decent time frame or ever into a Gorilla group, maybe housing him with smaller Primate companions is an option.

 Sunshine Gorilla and Friends
Photos Courtesy of
Jerry J. Sieja (thank you!)

Ndume's birthplace is the Cincinnati Zoo,  who shipped him off to Brookfield Zoo and has seemingly washed their hands of him.  It is documented in Dawn Forsythe's blog post that he was disrespectfully name called at Brookfield, something I feel is verbal abuse. (Previous sentence has been extended and clarified since original post, text and screencap below added.)

screencap of Chimp Trainer's Daughter blog

At The Gorilla Foundation he has lived in isolation and been ignored for 27 years.  At 36 years old, this guy needs to live out his life in a place where people will treat him with respect and give him the chance at companionship, either with other Gorillas or Primates.

Another great option would be Zoo Atlanta.  They took in another Gorilla who lived in even more severe isolation, gave him a home and a Family.  Ivan the Gorilla passed away in 2012.  He lived in a shopping mall as a roadside amusement, in isolation for 27 years, just like Ndume.  He was rescued by Zoo Atlanta and died knowing Love and Family, 15 years later.  I want the same for Ndume.

Zoo Atlanta Assistant Primate Curator Jodi Carrigan who worked with Ivan is quoted,  “Just like you have your Friends, Gorillas need Gorilla Friends."

Who is going to help Ndume and when?
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