Nana — The Gibbon Who Became a Mother

Nana the gibbon arrived as a frightened and lonely infant wrapped in a bundle of clothes, only one year old, from a German zoo that could not manage her care. They had heard about our success with hand-rearing great apes.

The beginning was difficult. A couple of years of play and plenty of close contact followed. As she grew older, she became more aggressive. The facility searched for a mate.

Gau, an orphaned male gibbon from a Belgian zoo, arrived but Nana rejected him at first. After a full year of gradual introduction, she accepted Gau.

On 4 October 2012, Nana gave birth to a healthy infant. She displayed instinctive maternal behaviour while Gau became the protector. Nana's joyful victory song left no doubt about her happiness.