We are very pleased to announce the birth of a baby gibbon, the first of our couple!
It was born on October 1st, after 7 months of gestation.
Like all baby gibbons with red whiskers, it has much the same fur as its mother. It was born cream, with little hair, but its fur developed quickly. She will turn black, like her father, around 1 to 1 year and a half. If it is a female, her fur will become blonde again when she reaches the age of sexual majority!
The red-whiskered gibbons are a species protected by a European Breeding Programme (EEP). The arrival of our couple in 2019 was therefore supervised by a European coordinator who chose the La Barben Animal Park to welcome them, and potentially take care of a birth. Only 150 red-whiskered gibbons are housed in zoos.
The red-whiskered gibbon frequents the forests of Southeast Asia, but is classified as “endangered” by the IUCN. Like many species, it is a victim of hunting, animal trafficking and deforestation for the exploitation of wood and palm oil. This birth is therefore great news for the species, which the team is delighted about !
