A new baby gibbon was born at the Dallas Zoo this month.
The white-cheeked gibbon was born on August 11 to Tualang, his mother, and Daxin, his father. The parents did not show much interest in the baby, and in a Facebook post about the gibbon’s birth, a zoo official said the baby would be cared for by zoo staff until Tualang got more comfortable in her new role.
The yet-to-be-named gibbon weighed 21 ounces; full-grown gibbons usually weigh between 15 and 20 pounds. Gibbons have long arms that help them swing from tree limbs. They are without tails and are commonly referenced as small apes.
Staff feed formula to the newborn gibbon every two hours, weigh him, and take his temperature to ensure he is in good health. The caregivers are tending to the baby with the parents nearby in the hope that they will show more interest in their baby’s care.
“We know maternal care is learned, and it is common for mothers to need time to acclimate to their new role, especially for first-time moms like Tualang,” the Dallas Zoo wrote.
Guests coming to the zoo hoping to see the newest edition will not see him in the habitat, but they may hear his wails and see zookeepers shuffling him around.
At birth, a white-cheeked gibbon will have a tan appearance. Male gibbons’ coats become entirely black as they age, except for small white patches on their cheeks.
Elsewhere in the neighborhood, the Dallas Zoo reopened its flamingo exhibit in early June after it had been closed temporarily as a precaution against the avian flu, which has not been seen in Texas since May.
The “Birds Landing and Forest Aviary are open again,” the announcement had said, enticing avid bird watchers to visit the zoo.