Welcome to “the oldest gibbon in the world”!

5 July 2018
Primates

Let’s introduce you to Burma, our new pileated gibbon (Hylobates pileatus) resident.The pileated gibbon is listed as endangered by IUCN. He is 38 years old!! which is a very impressive age for these apes! Usually, in captivity, the maximum age for this gibbon species is 34 years!

Burma’s owner, took him over from his brother, who had bought him as an infant from the Chattuchak Market, when he was 6 years old. He took care of him the next 32 years. The owner was growing old at the same rhythm as Burma, and was finding it more and more difficult to take care of him anymore. Thanks to a family members who had visited the WFFT center and discovered the work we do the owner found out about the rescued animals we take care off. Concerned for the future of Burma he wanted him to have a happy ending to his life and decided to give him a chance to have a better life and let him join the family of the WFFT rescued animals. As he was not aware of the exceptional age of his old gibbon, he was happy to know Burma was going to have adapted medical care, and an adapted place to spend the remainder of his lifetime.

As far as the Vet Team knows Burma has no medical conditions, except being old. He suffered a broken wrist 3 years ago, fixed by Khao Kew open zoo Vet Staff who came to collect and operate on him. But on the day of his rescue our Vet Team found in Burma a pretty strong and active ape! His limbs are skinny limbs of an aged animal but beside that he really didn’t look or act his age. He was simply swinging around in his relatively big, even if empty, enclosure. After he had been sedated, to avoid him any stress and for his own & our staff’s safety he was transported back to the WFFT Quarantine area. There he will be able to adapt and get ready for the next step of his new life at the center. Fed with fresh fruits everyday, the only things Burma will maybe miss is his Sunday pizza treat ! But that is for his own good. For the moment he is doesn’t really know how to use and enjoy the enrichments placed all around his new double enclosure, being kept in a barren enclosure for so long it is pretty new for him. Yet he already sings with his neighbors. Now they sing back for the first time in his long life.

We will of course keep you updated on his evolution and life at the center. Welcome grandpa Burma!