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Canterbury's Wingham Wildlife Park's white-cheeked gibbon celebrates 7th birthday

06:00, 30 September 2019

updated: 13:03, 01 October 2019

White-cheeked gibbon Pickle has just celebrated her seventh birthday - yet she still remains a peculiar colour.

The Wingham Wildlife Park ape was rejected at birth by her mother and was hand-reared by keepers in Canterbury to become a confident gibbon.

Pickle unwrapped presents on her birthday
Pickle unwrapped presents on her birthday

Her fur should be now be blonde, however, Pickle’s coat remained black.

Usually female white-cheeked gibbons will change colour aged four when they are ready to leave home and look for their own partner.

Yet it seems unique Pickle, whose parents were contrasting species of gibbon, enjoys sporting her dark colours and won’t be changing anytime soon.

She has now developed her large canine teeth and is slowly being reintroduced to her father, Laos.

Unfortunately her dad previously injured her to the extent she needed to be given stitches.

Pickle curiously unwrapped her presents on her birthday
Pickle curiously unwrapped her presents on her birthday

For more quirky and unusual stories, click here

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