The Dallas Zoo announced the name of their new white-cheeked gibbon baby on Thursday: Kip. The baby was born on August 11 of this year.
MEET KIP! Our white-cheeked gibbon baby looks so different than just a few weeks ago & now has a name! In an ode to being born on Dollar Day at the Zoo, Kip shares his name with the official currency in Laos – a native area for his species. SOUND ON for cute gibbon squeaks! pic.twitter.com/SaWO96MasF
— Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) September 21, 2022
Since the gibbon was born on Dollar Day at the zoo, they named him after the official currency of Laos, which is “a native area for his species.” The tweet announcing the birth features a video of the gibbon swinging around; he is already looking much different than he did as a newborn.
Newborn gibbons will look tan at first and slowly grow black fur.
According to Reuters, there are only around 150-160 white-cheeked gibbons left in the wild and only about 200 left in captivity.
The Dallas Zoo was closed earlier this month due to storm damage from heavy rains. However, a couple of weeks ago, they reopened to the public.