Zoo welcomes 'hugely important' rare gibbon birth

Twycross Zoo has announced the birth of its first animal of the year - an endangered pileated gibbon.

The infant, whose birth was described as "hugely important", was born to parents Valentina and Helmut on Tuesday 3 February 2026.

The sex of the baby is not yet known and will only be confirmed once keepers can clearly see, which can take several weeks or even months, a spokesperson said.

There are currently about 47,000 mature pileated gibbons in the wild and the population is decreasing, with a few dozen at zoos in Europe as part of a conservation programme Twycross participates in.

Pileated gibbons are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, an inventory of species currently at risk of extinction.

Twycross Zoo, based in Atherstone, is responsible for planning and managing breeding recommendations across European zoos with the aim of ensuring a healthy, genetically diverse population.

Matt Ford, primate curator at Twycross Zoo and coordinator for pileated gibbons, said: "This is a hugely important birth, not just for Twycross Zoo but for the entire European pileated gibbon population.

"Every baby born is carefully planned, and this infant carries genetics that are incredibly valuable for the long-term future of the species.

"Seeing Valentina caring so confidently for her baby is fantastic, and it's a real privilege for visitors to be able to witness such an important conservation success first-hand."

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