RUSSIA: CHIMPANZEES AT ROSTOV ZOO START ON A SEX EDUCATION PROJECT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE MORE INTEREST IN THE ZOO'S FEMALE CHIMPS

Record ID: 858661

  • Title: RUSSIA: CHIMPANZEES AT ROSTOV ZOO START ON A SEX EDUCATION PROJECT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE MORE INTEREST IN THE ZOO'S FEMALE CHIMPS
  • Date: 6th February 2002
  • Summary: (U5) ROSTOV-ON-DON, RUSSIA (RECENT - FEBRUARY 2, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) SCU MALE CHIMPANZEE WATCHING TELEVISION FROM BEHIND BARS OF HIS CAGE WIDE OF TWO CHIMPANZEES WATCHING TELEVISION CLOSE UP CHIMPANZEE IN CAGE SCU TELEVISION SCREEN SHOWING VIDEO OF CHIMPANZEES IN THE WILD SMV CHIMPANZEE CLIMBING UP INSIDE CAGE SCU TELEVISION SCREEN SHOWING CHIMPANZEES HUGGING IN THE WILD SLV CHIMP IN CAGE SMV ZOO STAFF GIVING WATER TO CHIMP VARIOUS OF CHIMP DRINKING WATER AND SPITTING IT OUT TOWARDS CAMERA SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ALEXEI TITOV, ZOOLOGIST SAYING: "I think this experiment can succeed. In fact physically our male chimpanzees are very healthy. They have morning erections - we see it every morning when we bring them food, but they do not know how to do it [make love]. So that is why we have decided to set up this experiment. Hopefully when they will watch how monkeys do it in the wild, then we may get the right result." VARIOUS, CHIMPANZEE EATING IN THE CAGE (3 SHOTS) SMV CHIMPANZEE SHAKING TITOV'S ARM VARIOUS, TITOV STROKING CHIMPANZEE SCU CHIMPANZEE IN CAGE SHAKING HIS HEAD SCU/SMV CHIMPANZEE LICKING TITOV'S ARM
  • Embargoed: 21st February 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROSTOV-ON-DON, RUSSIA
  • City:
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Environment,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVADPM8GJ5RG56F09GQU6DRC0797
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: A zoo in Russia has embarked on a sex education project for its chimpanzees. Staff at the zoo in Rostov-on-Don say showing videos of chimps frolicking in the wild may encourage the zoo's two male chimpanzees to show more interest in the females.
    Komik and Jomik pay close attention to the new arrival in the cage next to theirs at the zoo in Rostov-on-Don.
    But it's not a female chimp that they are interested in - it's a large television set that plays videos of chimps living in the wild.
    For the last year, staff at the zoo have been trying to start a chimpanzee breeding programme. But Komik and Jomik, though seemingly healthy, have so far been unable to mate with the female chimps.
    According to staff the two male chimps were brought over from London Zoo at an early age. They were brought up in semi-isolation and rarely had the chance to peek in on other chimps making love.
    So the cash-strapped zoo has embarked on the idea of sex instruction by video, in the hope that Komik and Jomik can take some lessons and get down to business.
    "I think this experiment can succeed. In fact physically our male chimpanzees are very healthy. They have morning erections - we see it every morning when we bring them food, but they do not know how to do it [make love]. So that is why we have decided to set up this experiment. Hopefully when they will watch how monkeys do it in the wild, then we may get the right result," said Alexei Titov, Chief Zoologist at the Rostov-on-Don Zoo.
    According to Titov, similar projects have been carried out at zoos in the United States and Europe, though with varying degrees of success.
    If video education fails to stir Komik and Jomik, then the zoo says it may have to look at using artificial insemination to start its chimpanzee breeding programme.
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