March 28, 2024
Provided Image/Philadelphia Zoo
White-handed gibbons are an endangered species. The birth of Eros, pictured above with his mom Phoenice, the result of a breeding program by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
If you're thinking of heading to the Philadelphia Zoo as the weather warms, there's a new animal to meet and greet (and aww accordingly).
Baby Eros, a white-handed gibbon, was born to parents Phoenice, 35, and Mercury, 34, just before zookeepers arrived on March 14. The baby boy is healthy, nursing from his mother and demonstrating proper behaviors, according to zoo staffers. The baby ape is available to see at the PECO Primate Reserve exhibit.
Eros is named after an asteroid that crosses the orbit of Mars, fitting in with the astronomy theme of his five siblings Aires, Orion, Polaris and Ophelia (the latter two are still at the Philadelphia Zoo).
"Philadelphia Zoo is proud to have such a strong history with breeding this endangered ape," said Michael Stern, the zoo's curator of primates and small mammals. "Mom and dad have proven to be great parents over the years, and we can't wait until the baby is a little older and our guests can watch him playing with big brother and sister."
In the wild, white-handed gibbons are found in Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand. Their hair is either blond or dark, and they swing on branches with their extra-long arms. Mothers have a seven-month gestation period, and babies cling to their mom's abdomen for their first few months. Babies depend on their mothers until the wean after two years. Gibbons usually mate for life.
Eros' arrival is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan, a breeding program to maintain biodiversity and protect endangered species. White-handed gibbons are considered an endangered species due to hunting, habitat loss and people keeping them as pets.
Eros is among several animals that recently have joined the Philadelphia Zoo or Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey. Earlier this month, little blue penguins hatched at Adventure Aquarium. The Philadelphia Zoo added Marcy, a 3-year-old snow leopard.
