Public asked to choose name for silvery gibbon

People have been asked to help pick a name for an extremely rare silvery gibbon born at a zoo on the Isle of Man.

The poll comes after the young animal was confirmed to be female by staff at the Curraghs Wildlife Park.

Four options have been put forward – Graihagh, which is Manx for lovable or loving, Cara, meaning songster, Feena, which is fair maiden, and Kirree, which is the word for sheep.

Staff said they were “sticking with a Manx theme” following the naming of the animal’s siblings as Ffinlo, born in 2017, and Aalin, born in 2020.

Born last September, the newest addition to the species at the park is one of fewer than 60 being cared for in zoos across the British Isles and Europe.

Staff at the park said although she was born seven months ago it had "taken a while to be sure of the gender as this little one was born hairy and we are very hands off, so sexing at a distance has been a challenge".

Silvery gibbons are indigenous to the Indonesian island of Java, and there are thought to be fewer than 2,500 adults left in the wild.

The Ballaugh park is part of a breeding programme by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, which works to conserve species that are under threat.

Park manager Kathleen Graham said: “It has been amazing see the family grow, and now we know for sure it is a girl, we would like people to help us name her.”

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