Gibbon born in Itanagar Biological Park

Itanagar: An Eastern Hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys) has given birth to a baby gibbon at the Biological Park here.

The baby gibbon was born on October 7 but its gender will be known only after four years, park curator Raya Flago said Monday.

With the birth the total number of the primate species in the park now has risen to 20. "The birth of the new baby brought much joy to the zoo staff as well as department of environment and forest," Flago said in a communique.

The mother gibbon, called 'Mishmi Baideu' (Mishmi sister) by the park authorities, was brought from Roing in Lower Dibang Valley district. Its partner is called 'Corneal Opacity' because of his defective eyes.

The Biological Park has earned the distinction of breeding Eastern Hoolock Gibbons in captivity for the first time in 2008 and since then their number has risen steadily.

Hoolock gibbon is the only primate species in the country and the state animal of Arunachal Pradesh, where its population is around 1500 making it highly endangered species, Falgo said.

"It is our prime duty to save this beautiful animal from extinction," he added.