Friday the thirteenth – a lucky day for the silver gibbons at Prague Zoo. Last December, the experienced female Alang Alang gave birth to her fourth offspring. The energetic nature of the male, now named Bayu by the keepers, is reflected in his name, which means "wind" in Indonesian. The curious and playful young male stands out for his fearlessness and is training in the typical brachiation for gibbons. The first offspring of this endangered species was born at the Prague Zoo ten years ago, marking the first addition of its kind in the Czech Republic.
„Bayu is already very actively interested not only in his surroundings, but also in his keeper. Mother Alang Alang is still protective of her one-year-old offspring and guards everymovement. Shedoesn't even allow him to receive food directly from us,“ describes primate keeper Nikola Kučerová. Bayu is also increasingly establishing relationships with other group members, especially with his siblings. „Sister Abu Abu is gentle with the young one. She tries to put him on her belly, practicing motherly care. Brother Claire tries to play with the young one. However, for wilder chases, he will still have to wait.
Determining the sex of the young one was only recently successful during a veterinary check-up. „For young gibbons, it is difficult to distinguish the genitals by mere sight – whether it is a clitoris or a penis. Silver gibbons also do not have noticeable sexual dimorphism, for example, different coloration of males and females,“ says primate curator Jan Mengr.
Experienced female Alangng Alang knew from the very first moment how to properly feed the young one, keep it warm or support its head. The father of the young one is the male Flip. Photo Petr Hamerník, Zoo Prague
Bayu is diligently exploring not only the interior of the exhibit but also the outdoor enclosure. If it doesn't freeze, visitorscan observe him there even during the winter months. Mother is constantly trying to keep him close, and thus for her short, but all the more daring outings, she takes advantage of moments when she is not paying attention. He swings in the branches and practices brachiation. This is utilized by these tailless primates to traverse distances between trees. They always hang by their fingers and effortlessly swing to the next branch. For a one-year-old gibbon, solid food is already dominant. He enjoys sprouted mung beans or peas – just like the others. In the coming months, he will undergo gradual independence. This will also mean that the young one will lose the automatic privilegesthat his mother provides him, the highest-ranking animal in the group among silver gibbons. He will have to fight for the best food pieces or his favorite branch by himself.
Bayu is diligently exploring not only the interior of the exhibit but also the outdoor enclosure. If it doesn't freeze, visitorscan observe him there even during the winter months. Mother is constantly trying to keep him close, and thus for her short, but all the more daring outings, she takes advantage of moments when she is not paying attention. He swings in the branches and practices brachiation. This is utilized by these tailless primates to traverse distances between trees. They always hang by their fingers and effortlessly swing to the next branch. For a one-year-old gibbon, solid food is already dominant. He enjoys sprouted mung beans or peas – just like the others. In the coming months, he will undergo gradual independence. This will also mean that the young one will lose the automatic privilegesthat his mother provides him, the highest-ranking animal in the group among silver gibbons. He will have to fight for the best food pieces or his favorite branch by himself.
For a one-year-old gibbon, solid food is already dominant. He enjoys sprouted mung beans or peas – just like the others. In the coming months, he will undergo gradual independence. This will also mean that the young one will lose the automatic privilegesthat his mother provides him, the highest-ranking animal in the group among silver gibbons. He will have to fight for the best food pieces or his favorite branch by himself.
In the coming months, Bayu will undergo independence from his mother. Althoughthe female will stop carrying him, she will still embrace him and stay close. Photo Petr Hamerník, Zoo Prague
The endangered silver gibbons are endemic to the Indonesian island of Java, and their numbers are declining according to the IUCN Red List. „Their existence is primarily threatened by human activity. Due to the logging of tropical forests, there is a reduction in their natural habitat, and consequently their population,“ specifies primate curator Jan Mengr.
Visitors to Zoo Prague can find silver gibbons in the lower part of the garden. They inhabit the exhibit unit Water World and the monkey islands. They live among the pink flamingos and golden-bellied macaques. They are active throughout the entire opening hours of the Prague zoo.
Visitors to Zoo Prague can find silver gibbons in the lower part of the garden. They inhabit the exhibit unit Water World and the monkey islands. They live among the pink flamingos and golden-bellied macaques. They are active throughout the entire opening hours of the Prague zoo.
