PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The Lion Country Safari welcomed the new addition of a rare, endangered ape, park officials announced Thursday.
The new white-handed gibbon was born on Feb. 17. It is the ape to be born at the park in nearly 28 years. According to park officials, the ape will cling to its mother until it matures and begins to explore on its own.
The baby's parents, 23-year-old Tamatha and 36-year-old Larry, are visible on their habitat islands in the last section of the drive-through safari, park officials said.
White-handed gibbons are a lesser ape species native to the rainforests of Asia. They are generally monogamous and produce one offspring after a gestation period of approximately seven months. The average life expectancy for a white-handed gibbon is 25 to 30 years in the wild and approximately 44 years under human care, Lion Country officials said.
The apes are on the endangered list and populations are decreasing in the wild due to habitat loss and illegal wildlife trafficking, officials said.
To visit Lion Country Safari or for more information about the park, call (561) 793-1084 or visit Lion Country Safari online at www.lioncountrysafari.com