Gorilla Rainforest

Ring-tailed Lemurs and Black-and-white Ruffed Lemurs are highly social animals that live in ‘troops’. These Madagascan natives spend their days sunbathing, relaxing in yoga-like positions, and feasting on leaves, fruit, and the occasional bug. They talk to each other using vocal sounds, facial movements, and a scent they produce from their wrists.

The Western Lowland Gorilla shares the same family as humans and giggles when amused. The leader is usually a single, dominant male known as a silverback. Gorillas have been declared critically endangered, mainly due to habitat loss.

There are only about 3,000 Pygmy Hippopotamuses left in the wild. This reclusive animal is native to the forests and swamps of West Africa. It is only half as tall as its hippo cousins. Melbourne Zoo is part of a breeding program for this threatened species, alongside 300 other zoos around the world.

The Southern Cassowary is a large flightless bird, famous for its electric blue face and grey helmet. Female cassowaries grow to over two meters tall and are the heaviest birds in Australia. They love roaming long distances, snacking on fruit and nuts. Cassowaries help to maintain healthy, diverse rainforests by spreading seeds as they eat and run.

The White-cheeked Gibbon mates for life. Known for being quite vocal, each musical couple creates their own song. White-cheeked Gibbons live in evergreen tropical forests in South Asia, but populations are dropping as their habitats shrink. This gibbon is now critically endangered.

Black-handed Spider Monkeys live in the tropical rain forests of Central America. Like many primates, they are endangered, mainly from loss of habitat. Melbourne Zoo has successfully bred a number of Black-handed Spider Monkey. It’s a real achievement as females only give birth to a single baby every two to five years.

The Eastern Black-and-white Colobus is a medium-sized primate. These African natives are known for their shiny black coats and long flowing white hair that drapes over their back and tail. They usually dine on leaves, can jump long distances between branches and spend most of their time in trees.

Likened to a tiny punk because of their distinctive ‘hairstyles’, this little creature is in serious trouble in the wild. There are believed to only be 300 to 1,000 remaining in the wild. Cotton-top Tamarins are found in northwest Colombia where habitat loss and predators are drastically reducing their already low numbers.