Gibbon To Be Hand-Reared » Noahs Ark Zoo Farm

Gibbon To Be Hand-Reared
27-09-2008

Just got this update:

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Just like any other day Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, in Wraxall, is full of
animal cries in the morning. However, there is a new baby cry at the
zoo. Although it may sound just like a newborn child it's an
endangered siamang baby gibbon.

The female baby gibbon, who is yet to be named, arrived a few weeks ago
and had to be rescued from the parents as the mother was not producing
milk. She is now being hand reared by the keepers at the zoo.

Like any new born, she needs regular feeding, changing and lots of
sleep. During the day she sleeps in an intensive care incubator,
donated by the BRI, and at night she goes home with one of the zoo
keepers.

Primate keeper, Sadie Garland says "We would have preferred to keep her
with mum but after close monitoring the baby was clearly going down
hill and it was decided that it would be in the best interest of the
baby to intervene. We have given the baby gibbon a toy camel which she
cuddles all day; this is known as a surrogate. She is quite fragile at
the moment but is progressing well and we are hopeful that she will
eventually be put back in the gibbon gallery with mum and dad"

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Hope all goes well!