Dallas Zoo staff caring for wide-eyed baby gibbon
DALLAS - There’s a new baby primate at the Dallas Zoo that’s either adorable or terrifying depending on how you look at it. His face is one even a mother may not love.
The male white-cheeked gibbon was born on Aug. 11 to mom, Tualang, and dad, Daxin.
But the zoo said visitors won’t see him for a while because caretakers are trying to re-introduce him to his family.
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Apparently, his parents have shown no instinct or interest in raising him.
The zoo said it’s common for first-time primate mothers to need a little time.
"We know maternal care is learned, and it is common for mothers to need time to acclimate to their new role, especially for first time moms like Tualang. So, the primate team was able to step in from day one and care for the baby round the clock to try to give mom time to get her bearings. They are feeding him formula every two hours, weighing him, checking his temperature, and delivering consistent and responsive care for this little one to make sure he is healthy," the Dallas Zoo said on its Facebook page.
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The zoo hopes that over time his mom will become more comfortable with him and help to raise him.
If that doesn’t happen, caretakers will hand raise him.