Jambo (gorilla)
Encyclopedia
Jambo was a celebrated gorilla
housed at Jersey Zoo. He is well known for rescuing a young boy called Levan Merritt who fell into the gorilla enclosure in 1986.
. The gorilla was born on April 17, 1961, in Zoo Basel
, Basel
, Switzerland
, to mother Achilla and father Stephi. Stephi was acquired from the Columbus (Ohio) Zoo. Stephi was captured in 1950 by Columbus resident and gorilla hunter Bill Said, with two other baby gorillas, in French Equatorial Africa. The three were sold to the Columbus Zoo for $10,000. The two which the Columbus Zoo kept, Baron Macombo and Millie Christina, became the parents of Colo, the first gorilla born in a zoo, at Columbus on December 22, 1956. He was the first male gorilla born in captivity as well as the first gorilla in captivity to be raised by his own mother.
Jambo's older sister Goma, born on September 23, 1959 in Basel, was the first gorilla born in Europe and still lives in the Zoo Basel. Before Jambo was transferred to Jersey Zoo Jambo and Goma had a son named Tamtam, who was born at Zoo Basel
on May 2, 1971, and died at Wuppertal Zoo on July 23, 2009. Jambo also fathered a daughter while still at Zoo Basel by an unrelated female. Jambo had 7 siblings and 20 offspring by 5 different mates, including three stillbirths.
Jambo was moved to Jersey Zoo, founded by Gerald Durrell
on April 27, 1972. He sired many offspring who now reside in zoos virtually all over the world.
There has also been a repeat similar incident in the Brookfield Zoo
, Brookfield, Illinois
, involving the gorilla Binti Jua
in 1996.
in the gorilla enclosure on September 16, 1992. The cause of death was a spontaneous rupture of the major artery, resulting in a massive hemorrhage in his chest. A biography of Jambo, written and illustrated by his keeper Richard Johnstone-Scott
was published following his death. A documentary has also been released primarily based on the home video footage of the Levan Merritt incident.
Jersey Zoo has erected a bronze statue of Jambo inside the zoo grounds as a tribute to the gorilla which helped change public perception about the species.
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
housed at Jersey Zoo. He is well known for rescuing a young boy called Levan Merritt who fell into the gorilla enclosure in 1986.
Early life
Jambo means "hello" in SwahiliSwahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
. The gorilla was born on April 17, 1961, in Zoo Basel
Zoo Basel
Zoo Basel is a non-profit zoo located within the city of Basel, Switzerland. Its official name is Zoologischer Garten Basel — or in English: Basel Zoological Garden. Basel residents, however, call their zoo affectionately Zolli...
, Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, to mother Achilla and father Stephi. Stephi was acquired from the Columbus (Ohio) Zoo. Stephi was captured in 1950 by Columbus resident and gorilla hunter Bill Said, with two other baby gorillas, in French Equatorial Africa. The three were sold to the Columbus Zoo for $10,000. The two which the Columbus Zoo kept, Baron Macombo and Millie Christina, became the parents of Colo, the first gorilla born in a zoo, at Columbus on December 22, 1956. He was the first male gorilla born in captivity as well as the first gorilla in captivity to be raised by his own mother.
Jambo's older sister Goma, born on September 23, 1959 in Basel, was the first gorilla born in Europe and still lives in the Zoo Basel. Before Jambo was transferred to Jersey Zoo Jambo and Goma had a son named Tamtam, who was born at Zoo Basel
Zoo Basel
Zoo Basel is a non-profit zoo located within the city of Basel, Switzerland. Its official name is Zoologischer Garten Basel — or in English: Basel Zoological Garden. Basel residents, however, call their zoo affectionately Zolli...
on May 2, 1971, and died at Wuppertal Zoo on July 23, 2009. Jambo also fathered a daughter while still at Zoo Basel by an unrelated female. Jambo had 7 siblings and 20 offspring by 5 different mates, including three stillbirths.
Jambo was moved to Jersey Zoo, founded by Gerald Durrell
Gerald Durrell
Gerald "Gerry" Malcolm Durrell, OBE was a naturalist, zookeeper, conservationist, author and television presenter...
on April 27, 1972. He sired many offspring who now reside in zoos virtually all over the world.
August 31, 1986
Jambo shot to international news stardom overnight on August 31, 1986, when five-year-old Levan Merritt fell into the gorilla enclosure and lost consciousness. Jambo stood guard over the boy when he was unconscious, placing himself between the boy and other gorillas in what ethologists analyze as a protective gesture. He later stroked the unconscious boy. When the boy regained consciousness and started to cry, Jambo and the other gorillas retreated in panic, and the silverback led them into the little house. But when the gate was closing, a younger gorilla named Hobbit got out, and an ambulanceman and two keepers rescued the boy while trying to keep calm. Most of the drama was shot on home video by Brian Le Lion, and extensively photographed by bystanding zoo visitors. The publicity on major news channels and newspapers helped ease public fears about the potentially violent nature of gorillas.There has also been a repeat similar incident in the Brookfield Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
The Brookfield Zoo is zoo located in the Chicago suburb of Brookfield, Illinois. The zoo covers an area of and houses around 450 species of animals....
, Brookfield, Illinois
Brookfield, Illinois
Brookfield is a suburb of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, west of downtown. The population was 19,085 at the 2000 census...
, involving the gorilla Binti Jua
Binti Jua
Binti Jua is a Western Lowland Gorilla female in the Brookfield Zoo, in Brookfield, Illinois, outside of Chicago.Binti Jua is the niece of Koko, the world famous gorilla that knows and communicates using American Sign Language...
in 1996.
Death and legacy
Jambo was found dead by his keeperZookeeper
A zookeeper is a worker in a zoo, responsible for the feeding and daily care of the animals. As part of their routine, they clean the exhibits and report health problems...
in the gorilla enclosure on September 16, 1992. The cause of death was a spontaneous rupture of the major artery, resulting in a massive hemorrhage in his chest. A biography of Jambo, written and illustrated by his keeper Richard Johnstone-Scott
Richard Johnstone-Scott
Richard Johnstone-Scott was the keeper of the famous gorilla Jambo, at the Jersey Zoo founded by Gerald Durrell. Jambo rose to news stardom in 1986, and helped change the public image of gorillas by standing guard over an unconscious boy who fell into the gorilla pen, until paramedic help could be...
was published following his death. A documentary has also been released primarily based on the home video footage of the Levan Merritt incident.
Jersey Zoo has erected a bronze statue of Jambo inside the zoo grounds as a tribute to the gorilla which helped change public perception about the species.
Sources
- Jambo: A Gorilla's Story, Richard Johnstone-Scott, Michael O'Mara BooksMichael O'Mara BooksMichael O'Mara Books is a small, family-run, privately owned publishing house in the United Kingdom. Established in London in 1985, it has established a strong history of publishing biographies...
(1995) ISBN 1-85479-701-8 - Jambo - The Gentle Giant, Green UmbrellaGreen UmbrellaGreen Umbrella Sport & Leisure Ltd was founded in 1990 as a producer of special interest videos in the United Kingdom. They have a strong history of sports programming - including such documentaries like The Mark Hughes Story for Manchester United. They also own Cricshop - the largest online...
, 2005 - Lang, E.M., "Jambo, first gorilla to be raised by its mother in captivity", National Geographic, March 1964 125: 446-53
- Lang, E.M., "Goma, the gorilla baby", Doubleday 1963
- Durrell, Gerald, "The Stationary Ark", Glasgow: William Collins & Sons & Co. Ltd. 1976
- "The first gorilla born in captivity", Life January 14, 1957 42:57-58
- "Life Goes On A Gorilla Hunt", Life November 19, 1951, 31:175-80
- Hanna, Jack, "Monkeys On The Interstate", New York: Doubleday 1989 pgs. 140-165
- "Goma: baby girl gorilla: Basel Switzerland Look 24:121-4 October 11, 1960
- "Jungle stare in baby's lare: Goma of Basel Zoo" Life 48:20–1 April 25, 1960
- "Rare new Swiss baby: gorilla at Basel Zoo" Life 47:172 October 26, 1960
- Zahl, P.A., "Face to face with gorillas in Central Africa", National Geographic 117:114-37 January 1960
- Lang, Ernst M., "Jambo The Second Gorilla Born At Basle Zoo" International Zoo Yearbook Vol. III 1961 pg. 84
- Carmichael, Leonard; Kraus, Mozelle Bigelow; Reed, Theodore; "The Washington National Zoological Park Gorilla Infant Tomoka" International Zoo Yearbook Vol. III 1961 pg. 88
Footnotes
External links
- Bill Radford, Gorillas in the tryst, The Gazette (Colorado Springs)The Gazette (Colorado Springs)The Gazette is a newspaper based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. It is published daily by Irvine, California-based Freedom Communications...
, April 24, 2005 - Homepage of the home videographer of the Levan Merritt incident
- A page on Jambo at a Gerald Durrell tribute site
- Official homepage of the Jersey Zoo