Prague Zoo invites you to talks about saving gibbons

The respected expert of the protection of animals in their natural environment visited Prague in 2016. He is now returning to talk about the endangered primate species, northern yellow-cheeked gibbons, which are on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Sheridan has developed a project with the Stiftung Artenchutz Species Conservation Foundation to protect these animals in the national Kon Ka Kinh Nationl Park and adjacent areas of Vietnam Central Highlands. This is the biggest event on rescue gibbons in Vietnam - 120 thousand hectares of rain forest will be reserved for monkeys. Prague Zoo is now also getting involved in its in-situ activities in this project.

 

Yellow-cheeked gibbons have a different voice

Northern yellow-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus annamensis), named after the Annamese Mountains in Southeast Asia, are a newly discovered species. They live in central Vietnam, southern Laos and northeast Cambodia. This species was originally considered as a relation of the southern yellow-cheeked gibbon, but their vocal expression is different, and males have a more orange-coloured face. According to zoologists, females are non-distinguishable.

 

About gibbons

The gibbons look slim and fragile, but in fact they have extraordinary strength in their arms. They don't need a tail, instead they jump between branches in a special way called brachiation, hanging only by their fingers and swinging to the next branch, up to 10 meters away. Besides, they can walk on two legs, albeit at a short distance only. Gibbons live in quite small groups made up of a parent pair and youths of different ages. The groups control the territory mainly with their voice, as each individual has their own voice.

 

Gorgeous silver gibbons in Prague

There are many species of gibbons, but all of them are threatened. In Prague Zoo, there is only one species, the silvery gibbon, which comes from the island of Java, where only a handful of animals survive due to large-scale agricultural practices. Recent research in 2008 estimated a population of 2,500 adults; this number would be much lower today... Prague Zoo joined the European Rescue programme in 2014 with the arrival of a young couple that had their first baby in 2015. There are currently only 51 animals in nine institutions in Europe. The English-language lecture will explain gibbon rescue projects in Asia, and it will be translated into Czech. It will be held on the 20^th of May at 5pm at the Education Centre of Prague Zoo. The lecture is free with a valid ticket to Prague Zoo.

 

https://www.zoopraha.cz/en

 

INFORMATION ABOUT PRAGUE ZOO

U Trojského zámku 120/3, Prague 7

Opening times:

May: 9am – 6pm

Admission:

◾Adults CZK 200

◾Children, students and seniors CZK 150

◾Seniors over 70 years of age CZK 1