Charles the Gorilla
Encyclopedia
Charles the Gorilla is a wild-born Western Lowland Gorilla
from Gabon
West Africa. Although the date of his birth is unknown his approximate date of birth is September 23, 1972. At a time when humans were less vigilant about their treatment of threatened and endangered species
, Charles was sought after by a group of poachers interested in acquiring gorillas for international trade. (At the time, gorilla infants could fetch a price of up to $5000.00) He is thought to have been found lying next to the corpse of his dead mother.
where he has lived ever since. His name was given to him because his particularly round face reminded the staff at the zoo of Charlie Brown
. When Charles was first brought to the zoo, he was considered rather unattractive because he was missing part of his hair and had lesions and/or sores that bespeckled his body.
Charles, along with Amanda, Barney, Caroline, Josephine, Julia, and Samantha, were all a part of the Toronto Zoo's first acquisition of a group of wild-caught gorillas for the newly opened Toronto Zoo. The Toronto Zoo opened its doors in August 1974 and since then Charles, Samantha and Josephine (the three remaining residents of the original seven) have been hosts to over 33 million visitors. (A figure which grows by about a million people each year). This group of seven gorillas has conceived over 33 children and are represented by more than 23 living offspring, comprising three generations. Charles himself has sired at least 9 children of which six still survive today.
. His son Jomo (born 1991) now resides at the Cincinnati Zoo. Both Jomo and Sekani are parents to two boys. His third adult son Subira resides at a Quebec Zoo. He also has four younger offspring, Johari (female, born 2001), Shalia (female, born 2002), Sadiki (male, born 2005), and Nassir (male, born September 2, 2009) living with him at the Toronto Zoo.
where in March 2004, Jabari (born 1990) escaped his enclosure and injured 3 patrons. Jabari was supposedly thrown into a fit of rage by a group of youths that taunted him and, in an effort to exact his revenge, he climbed an 18 foot wall and ran amok in the visitor's viewing area while patrons fled in panic. After 45 minutes outside of his exhibit, the Dallas police were called in to control the situation. In what was reported as an attack on officers, Dallas police shot and killed Jabari before zoo staff could dart or subdue him.
Western Lowland Gorilla
The western lowland gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that lives in montane, primary, and secondary forests and lowland swamps in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It is the gorilla usually found in zoos...
from Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
West Africa. Although the date of his birth is unknown his approximate date of birth is September 23, 1972. At a time when humans were less vigilant about their treatment of threatened and endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
, Charles was sought after by a group of poachers interested in acquiring gorillas for international trade. (At the time, gorilla infants could fetch a price of up to $5000.00) He is thought to have been found lying next to the corpse of his dead mother.
Toronto Zoo
On September 24, 1974 Charles was sent to the Toronto ZooToronto Zoo
The Toronto Zoo is a zoo located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It opened August 15, 1974 as the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo and is owned by the City of Toronto; the word "Metropolitan" was dropped from its name when the cities of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto were amalgamated to form the...
where he has lived ever since. His name was given to him because his particularly round face reminded the staff at the zoo of Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown
Charles "Charlie" Brown is the protagonist in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.Charlie Brown and his creator have a common connection in that they are both the sons of barbers, but whereas Schulz's work is described as the "most shining example of the American success story", Charlie...
. When Charles was first brought to the zoo, he was considered rather unattractive because he was missing part of his hair and had lesions and/or sores that bespeckled his body.
Charles, along with Amanda, Barney, Caroline, Josephine, Julia, and Samantha, were all a part of the Toronto Zoo's first acquisition of a group of wild-caught gorillas for the newly opened Toronto Zoo. The Toronto Zoo opened its doors in August 1974 and since then Charles, Samantha and Josephine (the three remaining residents of the original seven) have been hosts to over 33 million visitors. (A figure which grows by about a million people each year). This group of seven gorillas has conceived over 33 children and are represented by more than 23 living offspring, comprising three generations. Charles himself has sired at least 9 children of which six still survive today.
Artwork
Charles is an accomplished painter. Although the group had always been exposed to the visual arts, Charles' niche for the medium sprung up as a result of behavioural enrichment during a turbulent time in the gorilla group's stay at the Toronto Zoo. During a period of time between 1990 and 1998, Charles (now a well-sized Silverback male) was not interested in interacting with offspring that were not his own. And so in an effort to allow the gorilla group to meet with some of the zoo's other gorilla progeny (i.e. Barney's children), Charles spent a brief period of each day in solitude. In an effort to keep Charles contented during these intervals away from his harem, Charles was given access to large sheets of paper and non-toxic coloured paints. In an effort to raise funds for a new gorilla exhibit at the Toronto Zoo, some of these works were exhibited and sold at a private art gallery and were sold for $400 to $800 each which raised over $37,000.00 for the Toronto Zoo.Offspring
As in the wild, the fate of Charles' offspring would be that once they reached maturity they would have to find another family to live with. This is to prevent inbreeding with the females and suppress the violent tactics of maturing blackback males interested in challenging their fathers for control of the group. His daughter Sekani (born 1990) now lives in Arkansas at the Little Rock ZooLittle Rock Zoo
The Little Rock Zoo was founded in 1926 and is located in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States.It is presently home to more than 725 animals representing over 200 species, and covers an area of...
. His son Jomo (born 1991) now resides at the Cincinnati Zoo. Both Jomo and Sekani are parents to two boys. His third adult son Subira resides at a Quebec Zoo. He also has four younger offspring, Johari (female, born 2001), Shalia (female, born 2002), Sadiki (male, born 2005), and Nassir (male, born September 2, 2009) living with him at the Toronto Zoo.
Tragedy in Dallas
Another of Charles' offspring was sent to the Dallas ZooDallas Zoo
Dallas Zoo is a zoo located south of downtown Dallas, Texas in Marsalis Park. Established in 1888, it is the oldest and largest zoological park in Texas and is managed by the non-profit Dallas Zoological Society. The zoo is home to 1,800 animals representing 406 species...
where in March 2004, Jabari (born 1990) escaped his enclosure and injured 3 patrons. Jabari was supposedly thrown into a fit of rage by a group of youths that taunted him and, in an effort to exact his revenge, he climbed an 18 foot wall and ran amok in the visitor's viewing area while patrons fled in panic. After 45 minutes outside of his exhibit, the Dallas police were called in to control the situation. In what was reported as an attack on officers, Dallas police shot and killed Jabari before zoo staff could dart or subdue him.