A new "relative" from Hangzhou joins the Hainan gibbon family

By Chen Shumin / HICN / Updated: 17:22,17-January-2022

On January 16th, a welcome ceremony was held for a female Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus Leucogeny) named “Mingda” (which literally means ‘Good Luck’ in Chinese), who has just arrived from the Hangzhou Zoo. Mingda is now the newest resident of the Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park and Botanical Garden (hereafter referred to as the “Park”).

The newly arrived female Northern White-cheeked Gibbon in the Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park and Botanical Garden. FENG SHUO

With the approval of the National Forests and Grasslands Administration, a special team from the Park went up to the Hangzhou Zoo to pick up the 7-year-old gibbon on the 14th, following an agreement made between the two zoos to cooperate in the breeding of the Northern White-cheeked Gibbon, a close relative to the Hainan Gibbon.

A male 8-year-old Northern White-cheeked Gibbon named “Liangliang” has been taken good care of in the park since he was rescued in June, 2018.

The newly arrived gibbon will first live alone in the park to adjust to her environment and then will go to live with Liangliang on February 14th (Valentine's day!) for further potential breeding, according to the park’s plan.


The newly arrived female Northern White-cheeked Gibbon in the Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park and Botanical Garden. LIU SUNMMOU

In the future, the Park will work with the zoos in Beijing and Nanning to bring in more close relatives, so as to help build a breeding base for these gibbons in the Park.

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