Jambo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jambo was a celebrated gorilla housed at Jersey Zoo. 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 Dec. 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 means "hello" in Swahili (for etymology, see jambo). Jambo's older sister Goma, born on Sept. 23, 1959, was the first gorilla born in Europe. Before Jambo was transferred to Jersey Zoo Jambo and Goma had a son named Tamtam, who was born born at Basel Zoo on May 2, 1971, and is currently living at Wuppertal Zoo. Jambo also fathered a daughter while still at Basel Zoo by an unrelated female. The fourth gorilla was born in a zoo was in Washington D.C. on Sept. 9, 1961, a male named Tomoka at the National Zoological Park, which also had the fifth zoo birth. Jambo had 7 siblings and 19 offspring by four different mates, including three stillbirths.
Jambo was moved to Jersey Zoo, founded by Gerald Durrell on April 27, 1972. He sired many offspring in captivity, who now reside in zoos virtually all over the world. He was found prematurely dead by his keeper in the gorilla enclosure on September 16, 1992.
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, and an ambulanceman and two keepers rescued the boy. 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.[1]
There has also been a repeat similar incident in the Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, Illinois, involving the gorilla Binti Jua in 1996.
A biography of Jambo, written and illustrated by his keeper Richard Johnstone-Scott was published following his death.
- Jambo: A Gorilla's Story, Richard Johnstone-Scott, Michael O'Mara Books (1995) ISBN 1-85479-701-8
A documentary has also been released primarily based on the home video footage of the Levan Merritt incident.
- Jambo - The Gentle Giant, Green Umbrella, 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 Jan. 14, 1957 42:57-58 * "Life Goes On A Gorilla Hunt", Life Nov. 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 Oct. 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 Oct. 26, 1960 * Zahl, P.A., "Face to face with gorillas in Central Africa", National Geographic 117:114-37 Jan. 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
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.
