Akron Zoo officials say the baby ‘is doing well, and its sex is unknown at this time.’ The zoo plans to hold a naming contest in the future.
AKRON, Ohio — The Akron Zoo has announced the birth of a baby white-cheeked gibbon, a critically endangered species.
According to a release, the zoo’s adult female gibbon, Parker, gave birth on Friday at 4:20 p.m. “The baby is doing well, and its sex is unknown at this time. Infant gibbons hold on to their mothers from the time of birth. Parker is proven to be an excellent mother.”
The zoo says there will be a naming contest for the adorable baby gibbon at some point. In the meantime, guests may have a chance to see the new addition as the entire gibbon family will have access to the public indoor day room daily.
Friday’s birth marks the second baby for Parker and the zoo’s male gibbon, Milo. The pair previously welcomed a female named Lolani in December of 2021. Zoo officials say Lolani still resides in Akron and will remain with the gibbon family.
“Being an older sister is an important milestone for female gibbons as it helps them develop skills to be a mother themselves,” the release added.
According to the Akron Zoo, white-cheeked gibbons are “a lesser ape species that are native to Southeast Asia. The species is listed as critically endangered by IUCN Red List due to habitat loss, mainly from deforestation to create palm oil plantations. The native population of white-cheeked gibbons has decreased about 80% in the last 50 years.”
Click here to find out more about the Akron Zoo, including peak season hours and admission rates.
You can see more pictures of the new baby white-cheeked gibbon below.
