- Title: Bashful baby bonobo born in Belgium
- Date: 9th August 2017
- Summary: MECHELEN, BELGIUM (AUGUST 9, 2017) (REUTERS) BONOBO MONKEYS IN THEIR ENCLOSURE BONOBO MOTHER HOLDING BABY VARIOUS OF BONOBO MOTHER HOLDING BABY, CUTTING GRASS VISITORS WATCHING BONOBO MOTHER WALKING WITH BABY, EATING GRASS ZOOKEEPER, JORIS JACOBS, THROWING FOOD IN BONOBOS' PEN / BONOBOS IN ENCLOSURE BONOBO MOTHER PICKING UP FOOD ON GROUND WHILE CARRYING BABY, EATING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZOOKEEPER IN CHARGE OF BONOBOS, JORIS JACOBS, SAYING: "So we have to manage to do it with the bonobos that are in captivity and that's only 200 in the world. So that's of course why it's so important that there are a lot of bonobos born to keep the genetic variety as wide as possible." VARIOUS OF BONOBO MOTHER WALKING WITH BABY, EATING FRUITS VISITORS WATCHING BONOBO MOTHER BREAST FEEDING BABY BONOBOS BONOBO MOTHER HOLDING BABY YOUNG BONOBOS PLAYING BONOBO MOTHER AND BABY ENTERING SHELTER VISITORS IN ZOO SIGN INDICATING WAY TO BONOBO ENCLOSURE WOODEN STATUE OF BONOBO
- Embargoed: 23rd August 2017 16:36
- Keywords: baby bonobo Planckendael zoo endangered species monkey
- Location: MECHELEN, BELGIUM
- City: MECHELEN, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Environment,Nature/Wildlife,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News
- Reuters ID: LVA0016TFRF4P
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A baby bonobo ape has been cradled in her mother's arms since her birth in Belgium last week, offering zoo visitors only a brief glimpse of her face at feeding times.
Fiercely guarded by mother Djanoa, Planckendael zoo's newest resident has drawn crowds of curious visitors since she was born on August 2.
The infant is the second bonobo born this year in what zookeepers say is a hopeful sign for the zoo's population of endangered great apes, one of the closest primate species to humans.
Joris Jacobs, a keeper in charge of the bonobos at Planckendael, told Reuters that it was important to have as many bonobos being born in captivity as possible to safeguard genetic variety.
In recent years, an average of six bonobos have been born to the population of some 120 currently held in captivity in European zoos.
The newborn, hiding from prying eyes in her mother's arms at Planckendael, is the seventh bonobo born in Europe so far this year. She has yet to be named.
Visitors to the zoo will be asked to choose their favourite from among three traditional Lingala names, the language in the region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo which is home to the species. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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