In the early hours on Monday 2nd February 2026, the Animal Care Team were delighted to discover that female pileated gibbon, Qiwen, had given birth to a healthy baby.
This is the first time the Zoo has had a pileated gibbon birth since 2013. We are pleased to report that the new family are doing well.
Emma Rasey, Team Leader of Carnivore Section said,
“Ever since Qiwen arrived, her and Lae had such a bond. The team are very excited, not only for the pair, but this is also great news for the conservation of the species. It is still early days, but we are feeling very positive with how Qiwen and Lae are carrying out their parental duties.”
Qiwen arrived at CZS back in May 2023 from Zurich Zoo as part of a breeding recommendation and instantly developed a great relationship with resident male, Lae. They can often be seen grooming one another and have regularly been heard singing together which is a sign of their close bond. In the wild, males and females sing coordinated duets to advertise the relationship between them and to declare territorial boundaries, to keep potential rivals at bay.
Pileated gibbons are a sexually dimorphic species meaning that males and females look very different. Therefore, it is easy to tell the pair apart. Lae is black in colour and has a very white face which matches his hands and feet, whereas, Qiwen has light grey buff coloured fur with a dark face and stomach.
Breeding programmes such as these are vital for the conservation of this species as they are currently classed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The main threat facing this species is habitat loss as many wild forests in Cambodia, Laos and south-east Thailand are being converted into farmland. This has led to local extinctions in some areas of their range. By visiting CZS, you are helping to support global conservation efforts of endangered species including the pileated gibbon.
We know that this is a very exciting time and visitors will be keen to see the baby, but we do kindly ask that all visitors remain quiet when visiting the new family at River’s Edge. Keep an eye on our website and social media channels for updates on the new arrival. Once the first health check is complete, the Animal Care Team would welcome your name suggestions for the little one – watch this space!
