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Omaha zoo announces birth of white-handed gibbon on Oct. 15

henry-doorly-zooOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha’s award-winning zoo has announced the birth of a white-handed gibbon.

The Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium said Friday that the gibbon was born Oct. 15 in the Lied Jungle’s Asian rainforest. The gender of the gibbon is not yet known.

The small, tree-dwelling ape is now on display with its family, including 17-year-old mother, Chewie; 24-year-old father, Stevie; and sister Mei, born in 2011.

White-handed gibbons, also known as lar gibbons, are native to the rainforests of southeast Asia and dwell in high canopies where they forage for fruits, leaves and insects and live a primarily monogamous lifestyle among family groups.

White-handed gibbons are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species due to habitat destruction and illegal hunting.

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