Baby Apes Take It Easy in the Summer: Mobi Swings on the Rope, Gaia’s Toddling and Harapan Will Be Three Months

Mobi exploring the outdoor enclosure of the Dja Reserve from the back of her mother Duni. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Martin Vojáček, the head keeper of primates said, “Prague Zoo has never had three infant apes at the same time.” He loves all the little primates equally, but he says that it is also interesting to see the differences between them and also between their parents. “Mobi likes to ride on her mother Duni’s back, in contrast, Kijivu only carries little Gaia in the palm of her hand, like it was the bucket of a digger. Kijivu never carried any of her previous cubs on her back unless they themselves climbed on her once they got a bit older. In comparison, orangutans, being arboreal primates, only carry their offspring on their bellies.”

Nowadays Mobi, the seven-month-old western lowland gorilla and the first granddaughter of the famous Moji, is already venturing a few metres away from her mother. Duni is very vigilant with her firstborn, but she is now letting her interact with all members of the gorilla family. She is also increasingly allowing her to play and romp around. Mobi’s greatest joy is to swing upside down on the lower hanging ropes.

At the moment, seven-month-old Mobi's favourite pastime is swinging upside down on the ropes. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Three-and-a-half-month-old Gaia is now tasting adult food, especially the pieces of cucumber or lettuce dropped by her mother Kijivu. Gaia, goddaughter of the world-famous Jane Goodall, is learning to walk, so visitors will be able to watch her take her first steps.

Kijivu with her three-and-a-half-month-old daughter Gaia. Gaia is just starting to toddle and is also tasting the vegetables dropped by other members of the troop whilst they eat. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Harapan is now three months old. The little Sumatran orangutan is starting to grasp objects in his surroundings, such as things for playing with or the vegetation in his enclosure. His mother, Diri, regularly "exercises" him by lifting him above her head, stretching his limbs, and cleaning his nose or the rheum from his eyes. Just recently, she has started to put her firstborn on the ground next to her.

Every day after 3 pm Prague Zoo’s visitors can find Harapan, a small male orangutan, in the outdoor exhibit of the Indonesian Jungle. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

It is best to see the western lowland gorillas in the Dja Reserve when they are feeding in the indoor enclosure at 10 am or 3 pm. The best chance of seeing them in the outdoor enclosure is before the morning feeding, around 9.30 am, or when the group is enjoying the early evening sun around 5 pm. Harapan, the male orangutan, can be found inside the Indonesian Jungle, and every day he regularly goes to the outdoor enclosure after 3 pm and spends the rest of the day there with his mother, Diri, and father, Pagy.

All three - Mobi, Gaia and Harapan – are species (in the case of the gorillas a subspecies), that are critically endangered according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.