บท 42: Chapter 608: The Gibbons' Family Values
Nearby visitors watched in awe as the gibbons agilely swung through the trees, their eyes wide and mouths agape with astonishment.
"Oh! Oh! Oh~ oh~~~"
"Oh~ oh!"
"Wow, that's amazing!"
"Look, look!"
"Oh my, it's like they're flying!"
At that moment, everyone seemed to collectively transform into gibbons, filling the zoo with a joyful atmosphere.
In the center of the island stood a stone pillar, adorned with some indistinct carvings and weathered patches, looking like the ruins of a primitive settlement.
The stone pillar was not just decorative; it mainly served to anchor the perches.
It was also the highest point on the island, offering a great spot for the gibbons to rest and enjoy the view, and it became their playground for hide-and-seek.
After a brief standoff, Sunshine and Clear Sky resumed swinging through the trees, their movements drawing gasps of amazement from the visitors as they continued their chase.
A visitor asked a zookeeper, "Why are the gibbons' songs so loud and beautiful?"
Tang Xiaoxin and Qian Keke, curious as well, moved closer to listen. After hearing the gibbons sing, this question naturally arose!
The zookeeper smiled and explained, "Gibbons have a throat sac, also known as a vocal sac, which can inflate significantly when they call, making their voices extremely resonant.
They are the singers of the animal kingdom and the only mammals, aside from humans, that can sing in harmony!
Their singing can take the form of solo performances by males, duets between males and females, and family choruses.
In a family chorus, the adult male usually leads, followed by the adult female's tremolo resonance, and the children's monotonous responses. The pitch rises from low to high, clear and loud, audible from two kilometers away.
Gibbons operate as family units, and in the morning, their songs echo through the forest, informing neighbors of their presence and preventing territorial invasions.
Singing also strengthens bonds and serves as a way to locate each other when foraging separately in the wild."
The visitors were enlightened, "Oh~"
"Amazing, my gibbons!"
The zookeeper paused, a look of regret on his face, "However, the gibbons' loud and beautiful songs also brought them disaster. Poachers can locate them by their songs.
Although poaching is not as rampant as before, habitat fragmentation and deforestation make it difficult for gibbons to find mates, and their situation remains grim.
There are currently 20 species of gibbons in four genera worldwide, with China having three genera and six species, making it one of the countries with the most diverse gibbon species.
Even though China has so many gibbon species, their total wild population is only about 1,500 individuals.
Moreover, the Northern White-cheeked Gibbon and the White-handed Gibbon, once widely distributed in China, have not been observed in the wild for many years, suggesting they may be functionally extinct in the country.
So we must protect them well, or we may never hear their beautiful songs again."
Qian Keke clenched her little fists in anger, "Poachers are so bad! Why catch such adorable gibbons?"
Tang Xiaoxin was also saddened, "How pitiful. Such beautiful songs must not become extinct!"
After listening to the zookeeper's explanation, they walked along the island, reading the exhibit signs.
The gibbon exhibit naturally included information about their songs.
Primates are often the target of feeding by visitors!
Even with a wide river in between, visitors' desire to feed them persists. During a recent river cleanup, various snacks were found, clearly thrown by visitors.
So there were several prominent signs introducing the gibbons' diet and reminding visitors not to feed them.
The signs featured photos of various foods, including common green vegetables like lettuce, as well as eggs, tamarinds, dragon fruit, apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes, all displayed in large baskets.
"Gibbons primarily eat low-starch vegetables and low-sugar fruits, supplemented with whole branches for them to choose from, as well as eggs and live mealworms for protein. Additionally, the zoo provides suitable pellet feed, bread, and nuts to meet their nutritional needs at different life stages."
Passing visitors, their appetites whetted, even found themselves swallowing a bit!
Oh my, they eat so well.
Those who wanted to feed the gibbons might feel ashamed after seeing the signs, reducing the likelihood of feeding.
In addition to introducing the gibbons' diet and the harms of feeding, another sign shared an interesting fact: "In the wild, gibbons have a planned approach to using food.
Some trees provide flowers, fruits, leaves, and buds for gibbons to eat, but when they eat the buds of one tree, they won't eat its leaves. Another tree might only have its fruits eaten, not its flowers."
Tang Xiaoxin found it fascinating, "Gibbons even understand sustainable development!"
Thinking about it, she felt that sometimes humans are not as wise as gibbons.
Under a tree beside the island stood a pair of wooden gibbon sculptures, one gazing at visitors while the other gently groomed it, looking very affectionate.
A nearby sign introduced the similarities between gibbons and human families.
Gibbons are very emotional animals. When a member of their group is injured, sick, or dead, they stop playing for a long time, using silence to express their grief.
They are also very loyal animals. Once they pair up, they stay together for life, never wavering. In their family relationships, males and females have equal status.
In the Flying Gibbon Zoo, there were originally three white-browed gibbons: Sunshine and Clear Sky's parents, and an unmarried young female.
Every day, they looked at each other through the cage mesh. Although the young female envied the loving couple next door, she never tried to interfere or break them apart.
Once, due to a keeper's negligence, a male gibbon entered the wrong enclosure. The single female gibbon chased him out with a flurry of punches, preventing anything inappropriate from happening. The male gibbon did not fight back and even seemed a bit guilty.
Their parents never fought over food or other issues.
Gibbons also visit relatives. When relatives come, they welcome them, allow elders to groom them, and may even let old gibbons spend their twilight years with them.
They uphold love, cherish family, and respect the elderly and care for the young.
For humans, they could be considered role models!
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