An endangered baby gibbon is the latest adorable new arrival at Dublin Zoo.
The healthy siamang gibbon was born overnight on Sunday the 2 August to parents Cahaya (10) and Luca (19) and has already been observed suckling.
Cahaya and Luca were the only siamang gibbons at Dublin Zoo, with Cahaya arriving in 2014 and Luca in 2018.
The pair forged a strong bond from the very first day they met and zoo bosses were celebrating after the couple had finally expanded their family.
Ciaran McMahon, team leader at Dublin Zoo said: "We are absolutely delighted to welcome this siamang gibbon baby to Dublin Zoo.
"The species is listed as endangered so every birth is extremely important.
"Cahaya and Luca are the most loving couple, very attentive to each other’s needs and we have no doubt that they will make excellent parents.
"The baby is doing well and visitors to the zoo passing the Orangutan Rainforest may get a glimpse of the new arrival in the coming days."
The siamang gibbon is the largest of the gibbon species.
They are black-furred apes with arms that are much longer than their legs.
The cute primates are also the only gibbons with both opposable thumbs and toes.
The gibbons weigh between 10–12 kg and have large throat pouches which allow them to vocalise and sing.
They can often be heard singing in the zoo between 10 and 11am each day.
Siamang gibbons are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Their natural habitat is the canopy of semi-deciduous and evergreen forests in the Barisan Mountains of west-central Sumatra, Indonesia, the mountains of the Malay Peninsula, Malaysia and in a small southern peninsular area of Thailand.
Threats to their survival in the wild include forest conversion through agriculture leading to habitat loss, and opportunistic poaching.
You can catch a glimpse of the latest arrival by visiting Dublin Zoo, which is currently operating at a reduced capacity due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Tickets must be booked online in advance at www.dublinzoo.ie.
