Telo the baby Silvery Gibbon clings tightly to mum at Mogo zoo – unaware her birth has given hope about the survival of the endangered species
- Mogo Zoo is celebrating the birth of a new Silvery Gibbons called Telo
- The new baby is from one of the world’s most endangered primate species
- Telo is hoped to eventually help bring the species back from brink of extinction
- She will cling on to her mum Layar for the next six months at the zoo
The birth of a Silvery Gibbon at the Mogo Wildlife Park has provided a sliver of optimism about the survival of the endangered species.
Telo, a baby girl, was born last Friday at the wildlife park on the New South Wales south coast.
The zoo said Telo’s birth demonstrates the success of the park’s breeding program which is intended to save the Silvery Gibbon species.
The apes are native to the Indonesian island of Java and at risk of becoming extinct from the illegal pet trade and land clearing.
Mogo Zoo is celebrating the birth of a new Silvery Gibbons called Telo (pictured with mum Layar), a baby from one of the most endangered primate species in the world
‘Welcome to the family Telo. Such a beautiful little girl and already stealing the hearts of every visitor who sees you,’ the zoo posted on social media.
‘As one of only three institutions in Australia that are home to Silvery Gibbons, Telo’s birth is crucial to the preservation of this endangered species.’
Mogo zookeeper Chad Staples said the baby apes were born largely hairless, showing their pink skin, but would soon develop the silvery coat that gives the species its name.
He said mum Layar was ‘very confident’ and was hoped her eldest daughter, six-year-old Jawa, would watch and learn from her example.
‘It’s really important for the eldest, in particular, who could be the next breeder, to see mum do all this,’ he said.
Mogo Zoo hopes Telo (pictured with mum Layar) will eventually take part in their breeding program and help save the Silvery Gibbon species from extinction
The zoo is hoping to pair Jawa with a male soon.
‘Once you have a bonded pair, they’ll continue to breed,’ he said.
‘One of the biggest issues is making sure you have forever homes for their offspring and pairs for them so they can continue to succeed.’
Telo will stay with her mum until she is seven years old, when she will hopefully continue in the breeding program.
Along with the habitat loss and poaching, a major factor behind the vulnerability of Silvery Gibbons is that mothers only give birth to a single offspring once about every three years and are pregnant for about seven months.
Habit destruction and the illegal pet trade have reduced the number of Silvery Gibbons in the wild on Jave to an estimated 4,000.
Telo will spend the next six months clinging on to her mum Layar, and visitors can visit the pair from 9am to 4pm every day at Mogo Zoo.
Telo will cling on to her mum for the next six months, and visitors can see the pair walking around the zoo at Mogo