One foot carefully after another, a cheeky gibbon parades across a tightrope as he checks out his new home below.
Perth Zoo鈥檚 $11.7 million state-of-the-art gibbon enclosure opened on Tuesday, which takes the space into the air and tripling the space for the critically endangered apes.
It means visitors can observe the acrobatics of the animals as they traverse rope pathways connected to a 14m tower overhead.
Situated near Perth Zoo鈥檚 entrance, the apes can now travel larger distances as the public watches from the ground below.
Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn said the expanded primate enclosure would be a drawcard for families.
鈥淩ecord numbers of visitors are already enjoying the new caf茅 precinct and family facilities, and now, the primate crossing adds a world-class experience,鈥 he said.
鈥淲atching the gibbons swing through the skies is truly remarkable to see and it鈥檚 these magic moments that form core memories and help inspire the next generation into conservationists.鈥
Perth Zoo recorded more than 900,000 visitors in the last financial year, with upgrades, funded by the State Government, also completed to improve seating, barbeque and event facilities at the zoo.
The unveiling of the exhibit comes after the zoo鈥檚 gibbon population was hit by tragedy over the weekend.
Keepers said the Zoo鈥檚 white-cheeked gibbon Jermei went into labour over the weekend, but that the baby did not survive.
Gynaecological experts who normally help with human pregnancies performed a caesarean to give the baby the very best chance at surviving.
Perth鈥檚 Gibbon population are part of a global breeding program to help boost numbers, with the apes one of the rarest in the world and native to south east Asia.