The Gibbon Conservation Society (GCS) said the baby gibbon was named Axel by its royal patron, Pahang’s Tengku Arif Bendahara, Tengku Muhammad Iskandar Ri’ayatuddin Shah, in honour of the lead singer of the rock band Guns N’ Roses.

“The birth of the baby brings GCS closer than ever to being able to release our first gibbon family, after 10 years of operations,” it said in a statement.

GCS said the birth of the baby marks a milestone for wildlife conservation in Malaysia, as gibbons are an endangered species, and the successful rehabilitation of one individual gibbon can take as long as 15 years.

“Gibbons are the singers and rockstars of the forest and we all hope to hear baby Axel singing in the wild one day,” it said.

Both the baby’s parents – mother Ebony and father Coley – were victims of illegal wildlife trade, having been sold as pets and raised in captivity.

In April, FMT reported that Ebony and Coley were undergoing rehabilitation to deal with a mental disorder known as “zoochosis”, which manifests in stereotypic behaviour like frequent pacing, rocking and nail-picking.

Gibbons are considered a “totally protected” species but remain under threat from poachers and traders looking to make quick money.

A sign that the rehabilitation has been successful is when the gibbons start producing offspring, as this shows that they feel safe and comfortable in the wild.

Ebony, Coley and Axel are expected to be released back into the wild in early 2024.