ABQ BioPark welcomes two endangered gibbons to Zoo

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The ABQ BioPark recently welcomed two new members to the zoo and its Ape Walk.

7-year-old Makaio and 6-year-old Siena are both gibbons. One came from the Nashville Zoo and the other from the Columbus Zoo. They arrived two weeks ago after a long journey.

They may look the same but they are different species.

Josephine Frentzel, the assistant curator of primates at the BioPark, says they wouldn’t normally pair two different species in one habitat.

“They recommended, to us, pairing them up as companions because we had the space for them. And so you wouldn’t normally see two separate species, the white cheek gibbon or the white-handed gibbon together on exhibit,” Frentzel said.

The species survival plan recommended they put them together because their families rejected them. Now, they get to be companions for each other.

This is the first time the zoo has had gibbons but staff are adjusting well.

“The temperatures here are actually pretty comparable for them. The only difference is that we don’t have as high humidity for them. If we feel they need it, we do that inside their building and have a certain humidity for them,” Frentzel said.

They also added fire hoses and toys for them to swing from.

While the gibbons are the newest addition to the zoo, Frentzel says more additions are coming.

“There aren’t any new species of primates coming to us. As for other animals, we do have Australia opening here pretty soon, at least phase one. And there’s a good chance you might have new species In that area,” Frentzel said.

Frentzel added you can expect to see that Australia exhibit to open some time this summer.