Eindhoven Zoo welcomes young of chimpanzee critically endangered in nature

A West African chimpanzee was born in Eindhoven Zoo on Wednesday afternoon. Good news because the species is seriously threatened in the wild.

The gender of the chimpanzee is not yet known. "The cub came into the world in front of the visitors' eyes. The mother pulled some wood wool toward her, after which the visitors and animal caretakers soon saw a small arm emerge." said head of animal care Stephan Rijnen.

With the birth of the cub, the group consists of eight chimpanzees. Mother Christa is 35 years old and has already given birth to one female in Eindhoven Zoo. It is still unknown who the father of this cub is. Rijnen: "We are going to send a tuft of hair for DNA research. There are two males in the group and we do not know by whom Christa was mated. Pat, at 23, is the boss of the group. The other man Fahamu is 14 years old and likes to strike out when the boss of the group is not paying attention. Therefore, it remains to be seen. Within the group dynamics, it is not important who the father is, because the men have no father feelings."

Threats
General manager Roel Huibers: "It is extremely good news that we can welcome a young to this group. The population in the wild is decreasing rapidly, so it is very nice that we can contribute in this way to the conservation of this beautiful species."

In the wild, the chimpanzee lives in the forests of Africa. Its habitat is cut down for mining. The animal is hunted for its meat, also called bushmeat. Although illegal, it is considered a luxury delicacy in Africa. Chimpanzees are also hunted for subsequent keeping as pets.

Healthy population
To preserve the species, a management program has been established to ensure and healthy population in European zoos. The birth of the young chimpanzee contributes to this. "It is therefore important for us to know who the father is, because this is how we keep the population in the zoos healthy," Rijnen said.

Eindhoven Zoo, in addition to participating in the management program, also contributes by financially supporting Stichting Wildlife. This foundation is committed to several nature conservation projects. One of these projects is the Jane Goodall Institute. The institute protects great apes by taking in animals, deploying anti-poaching units, training rangers, providing education and supporting sustainable agriculture projects.

White tuft
Young chimpanzees have a white tuft above the buttocks for the first few years, indicating that the youngster is still outside the hierarchy of the group. "Until the birth of the little one, the half-sister, Kibibi, could still tease the other animals in the group, after which the mother could solve the problems. As of today, that will no longer happen, as the white tuft will disappear. Mother Christa will now take care of her young until his or her white tuft also disappears." Rijnen said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6trrlmDwRDk

Want to read more? And always stay up to date with the latest animal news and updates from now on? Then subscribehere sign up for the Eindhoven Zoo newsletter.