An instant attraction between two loved-up apes has seen an endangered baby primate burst onto the scene at Canberra zoo.
The newborn siamang gibbon clung tight to mum Tunku with dad Cian in tow as the young family made their public debut on Thursday morning at the National Zoo and Aquarium.
The black-furred five-week old, whose sex is not yet known, clasped onto Tunku's belly as the mother rolled down the grassy slopes of their enclosure and sought shade while snacking on fruit and vegetables.
The baby ape came into the world quietly on February 28, with a zookeeper discovering the surprise bundle the following morning.
Its birth followed a seven-month gestation period, meaning it was love at first sight for the parents, which met for the first time in May last year.
"It really didn't take very long before they hit it off. They were really, really keen on each other from the very beginning," zookeeper Georgia Clark said.
"We did see matings and a lot of interest in each other from the very beginning. It just took a few months and the little one was conceived."
The ape's arrival is welcome news for an international breeding effort to save the species from extinction, with only a handful of successful mating pairs in Australasia.
Siamang gibbons, whose wild populations have halved in the past 40 years, hail from Sumatra in Indonesia, and smaller islands in Thailand and Malaysia.
The biggest threats to preserving the species are habitat destruction, deforestation and illegal capture for the pet trade.
The newborn gibbon could one day contribute to the breeding program, and zookeepers hope its parents produce more children.
But for now all eyes are on the fledgling family, with both mum and dad taking to their new roles, grooming and nurturing the baby.
The youngster, who is not expected to loosen its grip on Tunku's belly for about six months, will not reach sexual maturity for about five years, giving zoo visitors plenty of time for a closer look.
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