Wildlife Alliance’s arrival at the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center (PTWRC) eight years ago has resulted in improvements in animal care, diet and living conditions for all of the center’s wildlife, former victims of the illegal wildlife trade. As a result, many animals are now mating successfully and attending to their young without human intervention, a testament to Phnom Tamao’s high standards of care and our training of the animal care staff.
A recent baby boom among the rescued wildlife has been encouraging. Most of the center’s animals were victims of the illegal wildlife trade and most have suffered, either directly or indirectly, at the hands of humans. The animals are mating and caring for their offspring successfully, which suggests they are recovering from their traumatic past.
Proud Parents
In June, three gibbon pairs successfully mated and produced offspring. All three mothers have been very attentive to their young. Wildlife Alliance staff are relieved the new gibbon parents are doing so well, since many of the center’s adult gibbons were orphaned themselves by poachers, and have little or no experience being raised by their parents.
Tragically, baby gibbons are highly-prized within the pet trade; poachers often kill gibbon parents in the wild to capture their young to sell in the illegal pet trade. As a result, young orphaned gibbons do not benefit from the behavioral guidance and training their parents would otherwise provide.
It is a relief to know that after enduring such stressful, not to mention barbaric treatment at the hands of wildlife criminals, there are gibbons at the rescue center who are willing and able to mate and care for their own children.
Cataracts and her second-born
And the gibbons aren’t the only baby makers. Following his rescue from a village and recovery at the PTWRC, a male dhole, or Asiatic wild dog, has mated with two females, producing three litters of pups.
In September, the long-awaited birth of a baby serow thrilled the rescue center staff, as there were concerns the serow parents, both rescued at an early age and hand-raised by humans, might not produce any offspring. Serows are Asian ungulates distantly related to goats and antelopes, but in a separate family of their own. Mother, father, and baby serow are doing well.
Still, challenges remain. No matter how great the matchmaking skills of our staff at the PTWRC, a few animals continue to resist the advances of their partners. K’mau, a male pileated gibbon, is one such bachelor. Although good-natured with people, K’mau frightens most females with his hyperactive behavior. Despite these small bumps, the PTWRC team will keep up the dating game and hopefully find a mate for K’mau soon; some gibbons just need more wooing than others!
