Exotic mates for Delhi apes

Hindustan Times, October 27, 2006
Germany sends in two chimps for ‘reluctant’ zoo inmates
Avishek G. Dastidar
New Delhi, October 26

The search seems to be over for the National Park. The Delhi zoo has finally got two male chimpanzees --- all the way from Germany --- for two of its choosy female chimpanzees, who, according to zoo officials, have refused to mate for the past few years.

Playing the role of a matchmaker to the hilt, the Delhi zoo had carried out a search across the world for prospective suitors for its female chimpanzees Rita (16) and Ruby (20). Finally, the zoo authorities decided on Morius (12) and Manni (7), inmates of Krefelder zoo in Krefelder, Germany. But not before going through the routine --- the photographs of the two male chimpanzees were posted from Germany for the approval of the Delhi zoo. After the formalities, the two arrived in Delhi on Wednesday as part of an animal-exchange arrangement between the two zoos.

D.N. Singh, director of the Delhi zoo, told Hindustan Times, “This was necessary to extend naturally the population of chimpanzees at the zoo. An earlier effort to get Rita and Ruby mate with another chimpanzee, Rustam, from Chandigarh, had failed.” Singh said six months ago they had tried Rustam but it was clear that he could not mate with Rita. And, Ruby apparently disliked Rustam, “In the past several years we have tried without success many chimpanzees to get these two to mate. Now, we hope the two from Germany would be able to charm our ladies,” Singh said.

Female chimpanzees become sexually active in captivity from eight to nine years of age, while for the males the age is less than ten when in captivity. Both Morius and Manni have been kept under a mandatory 15-day quarantine period after which they will be placed at the chimpanzee enclosure along with Rita and Ruby. “But it might be long, may be a year before they are able to mate,” Singh said.

Dr. Paneer Selvam, veterinary officer at the zoo, said chimpanzees are very choosy about with whom they mate. Then plan is to keep the two from Germany near their female counterparts so that they get used to each other. Morius and Manni went through several medical tests under Dr. Selvam and Dr. Martin Straube from Germany on Wednesday. “These tests had already been done in Germany, but the quarantine protocol mandates the same tests be performed here as well. Both are in excellent health, “Dr. Straube told HT.