Kesho

It may be a platinum selling single but Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac was not a popular choice of background music for our 25-year-old gorilla, a new report reveals.

Keepers at Longleat have had a paper published in the scientific journal Zoo Biology on Klinefelter’s Syndrome in Kesho, one of only two non-human primates to be diagnosed with the condition. 

One of the important management tools is sound as our gorillas have the radio on in their House, which drowns out unexpected noise, such as lightning.

Klinefelter’s Syndrome affects males – humans and animals – who are born with an extra copy of the X chromosome. Given there are currently 753 gorillas in human care and in humans 1 in 450 have the condition, it is likely there will be more diagnosed in the future.

The study by keepers Matthew Hardy and Lauren Bow with Conservation and Research Manager, Dr Tom Lewis, explores the diagnosis, behaviour and management strategies over 12 years.

Dr Tom said: “To have this work published in Zoo Biology demonstrates the knowledge our keepers have and means our work is being shared by the zoo community worldwide. We hope it will help with the care of these animals moving forward.

“The approaches introduced by Matt and Lauren effectively addressed his unique needs and reduced stress-related behaviours demonstrating the need for individual care plans for non-human primates with the syndrome. It is now a recognised guide for the future management of gorillas in human care.

The zookeeper team, led by Matt and Lauren have worked with Kesho for 13 years getting to know him and tailoring his management to make his life as relaxed as possible. Matt said:

“Kesho doesn’t like anything new, he’s sensitive to sounds, has impaired problem-solving abilities, mood swings and atypical social interactions.

“We found sudden loud noises could cause him distress, so we ensured he was always in the enclosure when the fire alarm was tested, for example. Interestingly, he reacted negatively to the start of the song “Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac and became aggressive towards the other gorillas when the music started.

“Sound is one of three areas we have focused on. A radio is left on in the house to drown out any sudden noises, such as lightning.

“Routine has also proved vital. We highlighted in the paper that his morning routine is always kept the same to ensure that Kesho knows what he needs to do. This means including regular tasks that wouldn′t usually be part of the normal daily routine into the daily routine. For example, all gorillas in the group are weighed weekly, but Kesho is asked to enter the weigh pen daily so that when he needs to be weighed, it becomes a regular, everyday occurrence for him.

“The third strand is illness – with vet approval we treat him when he shows early signs of an oncoming illness; this has led to any illness being over quicker than before.”

As there are so few cases of Kleinfelder’s syndrome reported in non-human primates the team thought it was important to share their experience, so others can be aware of possible signs in the animals under their care. Dr Tom added: “We concluded that while number of Kesho′s characteristics are reported by individuals with Kleinfelder′s; however, behaviours such as needing familiarity, stubbornness, and anxiety behaviours are uncommon. It could be that it is these are dominant in animals, specific to gorillas or individual personality traits.

“With a large population of non-human primates that have high levels of care and human interactions, zoos are in a strong position to help further this field whilst increasing the welfare standards of their animals.”

Darren Beasley, Head of Animal Operations, said: “Caring for animals involves really getting to know them and this study by Matt, Lauren and Tom shows the detailed way this takes place and the huge benefits from understanding why Kesho was reacting to certain circumstances. I am really proud not only of the team but that their work will support gorilla care and conservation for the future.”