Zoo Babies - Raising Baby Iwani

Capitalising on the cute charisma of baby animals, Raising Baby Iwani highlights the inherent dramas of animal breeding programmes. It follows the story of twin Baby Iwani, a lovable Siamang gibbon whose mother rejected him at six weeks of age. Auckland Zoo Senior Primate Keeper Christine Tintinger takes on the role of surrogate Mum for more than a year, hand-raising Iwani before introducing him back to his father. Zoo Babies consisted of a ten episode series and this special, which originally screened in two parts. Both were offshoots of long-running Greenstone TV series The Zoo.

Well that caused the heart to palpitate a little bit! Obviously this is mother, and she forced herself through the slide so I had to get out quick . . . She's never done that before.

– Primate keeper Christine Tintinger, when Iwani's mother makes a surprise entrance

Key Cast & Crew

Maree Quinn

Series Director

Penny Ashbrook

Post-Production Director

Torin Mathias

Editor

Kylie Henderson

Production Manager, Research

Andrea Lamb

Series Director, Executive Producer

Bill Kerton

Narrator