At the Lekedi Foundation sanctuary in Gabon, caretakers are seeking a companion for an adult male gorilla named Jojo, who has continued to live without other gorillas since being moved from a private zoo after being captured by poachers and sold to a private zoo.
Isolation and Early Life at the Sanctuary
Jojo was captured in the wild when he was less than a year old, after poachers killed his family. Sold to a private zoo, he spent almost all of his childhood isolated in a small cage away from other gorillas.
In 2015, at the age of 11, Jojo stepped onto grass for the first time. More than a decade has passed, but he remains without a gorilla family or friends of his own species.
Maxe Anakle Makaba, head caretaker at the sanctuary, notes that the animal seeks interaction with people, including by collecting leaves to exchange for treats.
According to sanctuary director Eric Viyom, Jojo emits vocalizations typically used by wild adult males to attract females whenever familiar women depart after visiting his enclosure. In his view, the gorilla feels lonely.
Gillian Forrester, a University of Sussex professor specializing in the psychology of great apes, described Jojo’s situation as among the most extreme instances of isolation she has encountered. Using a thermal imaging camera, the researcher recorded a persistently cold nose on the animal, which may indicate an impaired bodily response to stress.
The Complex Search for a Companion
Caretakers are considering placing another rescued animal or a zoo-born gorilla with Jojo. However, finding a suitable match requires caution.
Some experts caution that such an attempt could cause Jojo additional stress because he has already reached adulthood. Moving an animal from an accredited zoo would require a decision by an international committee based on genetics, health status, and the compatibility of the individuals.
Dr Katie Fawcett from the Grace Center notes that social bonds are necessary to consider releasing an animal into the wild, which remains the ultimate goal for Jojo’s caretakers.
essential
Katie Fawcett, Grace Center
When integrating into a new group, female mountain gorillas typically search out familiar females they may not have encountered for numerous years, notes University of Zurich Robin Morrison, who investigates mountain gorilla social behavior.
Efforts by Forrester to engage several accredited zoos regarding potential arrangements for Jojo have stalled without any visible headway.
there aren’t clear processes in place to do these kinds of trans-locations
Forrester, via BBC News
If introductions eventually proceed, they would be carried out very gradually, perhaps giving them an object that smells of the other before they see each other.
