Fota, the gift that keeps on gibbon to us!

Fota Wildlife Park has officially announced an adorable new addition to its ever-growing family.

The endangered baby agile gibbon was born on 10 January to mum Chloe and dad Conor.

Conor, who was born in 1989, is one of the oldest primate residents at Fota Wildlife Park. Mother Chloe, who was born in 2000, has successfully bred with Conor in the past. Staff at the park say the baby is doing great and is settling into its new island habitat which he also shares with his big brother Beamish, born in 2021.

Lead Ranger Tersa Power said: “We are delighted to announce the birth of any endangered animals, and the number of agile gibbons in the wild continues to decrease. Over the past five decades, their native environments have shrunk by half, and they face additional threats from hunters who exploit them for the illicit exotic pet market.

“For Fota Wildlife Park, these births capture the public’s interest, and it helps us raise awareness about the plight of the many species that reside here and the endangered breeding programmes we participate in.”

Though it's too soon to determine the gender of the youngster, Fota is calling on the public to help choose the name by visiting fotawildlife.ie and to be in with a chance to win a Conservation Annual Pass.

One of the smaller apes of its kind, the agile gibbon varies in colour between black and reddish-brown. The male is distinguishable from his female counterpart by the white or light-grey cheek fur on his face. Both have white eyebrows and, like all gibbons, are tailless. As its name suggests, the agile gibbon is one of the fastest and most acrobatic climbers in the forest.

Agile gibbons have been resident at Fota since the 1990s and are located on an island in the Asian Sanctuary. They are held in only a few collections throughout the world and Fota Wildlife Park is fortunate to have welcomed several juveniles born to its main mating pair, Conor and Chloe, over the years.

Anyone eager to get a look at the new baby gibbon can visit Fota Wildlife Park daily from 9.30am. This Easter there will be daily feeding times, wildlife talks, and an Easter egg trail and quiz running for the mid-term break.

See fotawildlife.ie for more information and to book.