Extraordinary: chimpanzee given birth in Safaripark Beekse Bergen

A female Western chimpanzee has been born at Beekse Bergen. This species is endangered in the wild.

"Both the cub and mother Anne Clara are doing well," says head zookeeper Kris Jansen. It is currently unknown who the father is. Jansen: "Just like in the wild, also in our groups, there are several adult males and females. There are several fertile males in the group and these animals do not have a fixed partner. DNA analysis should therefore reveal who the father is in the future."

Endangered
This species of monkey is found in the forests of Africa. The habitat of these animals is disappearing as forests are cut down for mining, among other things. As a result, the number of chimpanzees is decreasing sharply. In addition, infectious diseases and poaching also play an important role. These monkeys are hunted because they are eaten by the population and in addition, these animals are kept as pets. A century ago there were about two million chimpanzees, at present it is estimated that there are only about two hundred thousand and that number is decreasing rapidly.

Therefore, there is a European management program for this species. The goal of this program is to ensure healthy populations in zoos. "Animals in zoos are ambassadors of their peers in the wild. It is not often that a chimpanzee is born, so we are very happy about the birth of this little one." says Jansen.

Stichting Wildlife
Beekse Bergen is not only committed to the species conservation of these animals through its management program. With the help of Stichting Wildlife, the park also supports the Jane Goodall Institute. They protect chimpanzees and other great apes by, among other things, sheltering these animals, deploying anti-poaching units and training rangers.

They also provide public outreach and education to local communities about protecting endangered wildlife and focus on community projects for sustainable agriculture.

White tuft of hair
Young chimpanzees have a white tuft of hair just above their buttocks. This allows the adult apes in the group to see that these animals are still young. Jansen reveals, "As long as they have this white tuft, they are outside the hierarchy of the group. They are therefore allowed to lash out more than the older animals in the group." When they are about five years old, this tuft disappears. They then have to follow the rules of the group more and more and become more independent. Jansen: "Anne Clara, at 41 years old, is quite old, especially since the little one will need a lot of support from her over the next five years. The expectation is therefore that this will be her last cub."

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