“WHAT is making that loud noise?” is a question that Keepers are often asked at the Lake District Wildlife Park.
“Oh, that is Nobby the Lar Gibbon," the Keepers will reply. "Just head down the main path and you will be able to see him, singing his heart out.”
Nobby is the son of Brian, one of the oldest Lar Gibbons in Europe.
Brian at the grand age of 58, has slowed down and is much quieter than his son. He will call out a gentle 'Hoo' to his mate Sooty and she will give a gentle 'Hoo' back.
And this is how they communicate.
Nobby however, does a lot more than just a gentle call. He will spend many of his mornings up in his Oak Tree swinging from branch to branch until he finds the right spot to call out across the valley. His voice is loud, and he will sing out a long and cheerful 'Hoooooo'.
Staff have had reports of him being heard in the nearby village of Bassenthwaite and even as far as the tops of the surrounding fells.
It is thought that Lar Gibbons sing in the morning to mark their territory and Nobby sends his call out far and wide.
On a still day his voice reverberates around the valley and so there is no chance of any other competing Gibbons entering his territory!
It is also his instinct to call out if there are predators nearby. This is a warning that will be carried to the rest of his family to keep them safe… as you never know what might be stalking in the grass or flying overhead!
As the day draws to a close and the sun starts to set, most of the animals at the Park will head inside their warm heated houses or stables. The cows will lie in the fields and chew the cud and the birds will settle on their perches.
Nobby, however, does not always retreat inside. He can be seen climbing up to the top of his pole as the sun sets and he just sits.
We can learn so much from animals and maybe we should also spend a bit of quiet time at the end of a busy day and just sit and watch the sun go down.
We do not know what he is thinking or doing but he certainly appears very content.
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