While the Akron Zoo‘s white-cheeked gibbon mom, Parker, enjoys a snack, her baby is finding his or her voice and is vocalizing a lot!
Parker gave birth to her baby on Dec. 9. This is the first baby for Parker and the zoo’s male gibbon, Milo, who came to the zoo as a bonded pair from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado in late 2020. The pair are attentive and caring parents.
The baby’s gender is still unknown, because baby gibbons hold on to their mothers from the time they are born, and the zoo staff has been hands-off.
White-cheeked gibbons are a critically endangered species native to Southeast Asia.
“We are thrilled to welcome this baby gibbon into our Akron Zoo family,” said Doug Piekarz, the zoo’s president & CEO. “This baby is very important and it’s a major step forward for this critically endangered species. I am proud of the hard work and dedication of the gibbon care team throughout Parker’s pregnancy. The baby is the best kind of holiday gift for us at the Akron Zoo.”
The Akron Zoo plans to hold a naming contest in the future.
Visitors can see the new family in their indoor habitat during Akron Zoo’s Wild Lights event. The gibbons will have access to their private bedrooms as they adjust to their new normal of being a family of three.
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