Summer 2009 - Perth Zoo

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16 Silvery Gibbon Hylobates moloch Red List Status: Endangered One of 16 species of gibbon found across South-east Asia, Silvery Gibbons are only found on the tropical Indonesian island of Java. Gibbons are arboreal, or treedwelling, and use their long arms to swing through the tree canopies faster than most other animals, with an arm stride of up to three metres. They are capable of swinging a distance of up to 15 metres. Silvery Gibbons are social and live as an adult pair with up to three offspring. They are active during the day, when they forage for wild fruits, young leaves, flowers and occasionally small birds and lizards. Their day starts at dawn with a loud call that carries several kilometres and signals their territory to other gibbons. Females also call when they are alarmed and the males survey the area for threats and intruders. The Silvery Gibbon’s pregnancy lasts about seven months. The infant is very dependent on its mother and clings tightly to its mother’s hair, rarely leaving her during its first year. Silvery Gibbons are facing possible extinction in the wild because humans have encroached upon their habitat. A staggering 98% of their habitat has been lost by human colonisation and remaining gibbon populations are highly fragmented, totalling some where between 400 and 4000 individuals. Although illegal, young gibbons are poached from the wild and taken as pets. Often the mother is killed to capture the infant. The remaining Silvery Gibbons in Java now live in forest habitats toward the top of mountain ranges because humans occupy the valleys. The populations are fragmented and there is little movement between populations, resulting in a smaller genetic pool. newspaw s | Summer 2009/10 How Can You Help? If you travel to South-east Asian countries, avoid having your picture taken with pet gibbons. This only strengthens the market for the illegal pet trade. Avoid buying furniture made from Indonesian timber that is unsustainably harvested. Donate to Perth Zoo’s Wildlife Conservation Action, which supports the conservation of Silvery Gibbons in the wild. Perth Zoo has a family of four Silvery Gibbons. Adult female Hecla and male Jury have produced six offspring, some of which have moved to other zoos around the world to form breeding pairs. The most recent birth at Perth Zoo was a female named Cahaya, who was born in May 2008. She joins brother Nakula in their Asian Rainforest exhibit. theredlist pawprints Silvery Gibbon Quick Facts Other Names: Javan Gibbon Diet: Fruit, leaves, nector and grubs Habitat: About 500 kg Body Length: 45-64 cm Weight: 4 -9 kg Gestation: 210 days Number of Young: 1 Unlike other gibbon species, the Silvery Gibbon does not sing in ‘duets’. The female is the dominant vocalist while the male sings only occasionally. The Red List website records the conservation status of thousands of mammal and bird species. Check it out at .
What’s on Go to ‘what’s on’ under the ‘events’ section of Perth Zoo’s website for more information on most events listed below. 11–31 January Hide and Seek Activities Kids, come along and find out how animals use camouflage to hide from predators or ambush their prey, with fun art and craft activities and story-telling sessions in the Homestead Barn from 10:00 am–3:00 pm. You can even decorate your own gecko to help it camouflage into its environment! Gold coin donation per child to participate. All money raised goes directly towards conservation projects in the wild. 18, 19 and 21 January Wild About Animals Join Perth Zoo and the RSPCA for a fun-filled day learning about how to care for animals. Children 10–14 years visit behind the scenes with Zoo animals. They also learn how the RSPCA care for animals and discover ways to improve the care of some special ones. Time: 9:00 am–1:00 pm Cost: $50 per person or $45 for Zoo Friends and RSPCA members Contact 9474 0365 or download a registration form from our website. 23 January Kids’ Night Out Concert presented by Commonwealth Bank Perth Zoo’s special kids' concert will have you singing and dancing, with fun for the whole family. This bumper night of entertainment features The Wild Aussies, The Powerpuff Girls and the energetic Roary the Racing Car. Enjoy extended Zoo animal viewing times, live entertainment on stage, then party on with Perth band Wesley Goodlet Jamboree Scouts. Cost: Adults $36, Kids (4-15yrs) $18, Under 4s $7.50, consesssion/seniors $26, infants under 12m FREE (ticket still required). Time: 5:30 pm–9:00 pm Special note: Zoo Friends receive a 20% discount for this event on tickets purchased at Perth Zoo only. Membership cards must be presented for each ticket when booking and upon entry to the event. Planning a summer function? Make your next party unforgettable. Perth Zoo is one of the most popular picnic locations in Perth. Beautiful gardens, shaded barbecue areas and interesting animals all provide a venue that will make your company, social club or family day out an event to remember. To pre-book a picnic area for that special day, contact Perth Zoo on (08) 9474 0402. 13 February Kate Ceberano and The WA Youth Jazz Orchestra presented by Commonwealth Bank Spend a romantic evening under the stars when the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) teams up with multi-award winning jazz songstress Kate Ceberano for a night of cool jazz. Kate’s powerful, soulful vocal style is a perfect match for the slick and hip young WAYJO jazz crew, under the artistic direction of Mace Francis. Grab a picnic and a patch of grass and settle back for a fabulous concert of up-beat swing and cool jazz grooves. Cost: All tickets $47. (Infants under 12 months free, ticket still required). Time: 5:30 pm–9:00 pm 28 February Brownes Numbat Club Day Brownes Numbat Club members are invited to a super special day at Perth Zoo with FREE activities including a bungee trampoline, rock climbing, bouncy castle, face painting, hairbraiding and Brownes dairy samples. Perth Zoo’s Main Lawn will be full of fun from 10:30am to 3:00pm so bring your mates and your membership cards or sign up on the day to join in. 21 March Teddy Bears’ Picnic When you go down to the Zoo today you’re in for a big surprise! Kids aged 4–15 years enter for just $2! (Under 4s are free). Bring a picnic and join in a jam packed day full of lots of extra activities. Check the website soon for more information. Time: 9:00 am–5:00 pm Congratulations Maggie Perth Zoo congratulates Docent Maggie Richardson, who was named the 2009 WA Senior of the Year for her work with Perth Zoo, the Positive Aging Foundation of Australia and the Arthritis Foundation. Be sure to congratulate Maggie if you see her out in the grounds, at one of the Docent touch tables or guided walks. Summer 2009/10 | newspaw s 17
Page 1 and 2: Puteri’s Princess Perth Zoo’s O
Page 3 and 4: Ultrasounding Perth Zoo’s Botanic
Page 5 and 6: Rough terrain in which the field wo
Page 7 and 8: New Quokka Breeding Program Quokkas
Page 9 and 10: Photo by Phil England How to Build
Page 11 and 12: cliffs were placed around the exhib
Page 13 and 14: A Day in the Life of… Cassandra B
Page 15: New Ghostly Arrivals Born on 27 Oct
Page 19 and 20: Assorted soft toys. Prices vary. Th

Summer 2009 - Perth Zoo

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