The Gibbon Conservation Center was founded in 1976 in southern California, USA, by Alan Richard Mootnick. It is the only facility in the world devoted exclusively to gibbons, an increasingly rare ape. We work for the endangered gibbons' benefit through conservation, propagation and study, and by teaching people about them. GCC houses nearly 40 gibbons, among them 5 of the 15 living species:
Nomascus l. leucogenys (northern white-cheeked gibbon)
Hylobates pileatus (pileated gibbon)
Symphalangus syndactylus (siamang)
Hylobates agilis (agile gibbon)
Hylobates moloch (Javan gibbon)
Mission StatementThe mission of the Gibbon Conservation Center is to prevent the extinction of this small Asian ape, and to advance its study, propagation and conservation by establishing secure captive gene pools in case attempts to preserve species or subspecies in the wild fail. We provide a safe haven for all gibbon species as a complement to protecting them in the wild. We educate the public, assist zoos and rescue centers in better captive management, encourage noninvasive behavioral studies, and support ongoing field conservation projects.
About Gibbons:
Gibbons are classified in the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Vertebrata, Class Mammalia, Order Primates, Superfamily Hominoidea (Gray, 1825) and Family Hylobatidae. Gibbons are small, arboreal apes distributed in the wild in the tropical and subtropical rainforests of Southeast, South and East Asia. They are currently found in small populations in China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Bangladesh, NE India, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Most countries consider them to be endangered, and they are threatened primarily by loss of their forest habitat. Other factors contributing to their demise include the illegal wildlife trade, the use of their body parts in the manufacture of traditional medicines, and poaching.
Gibbons have long fascinated scientists and lay people because of their agility in the forest tree tops. Gibbons are excellent brachiators (arm-swingers), and this is one reason they make popular zoo exhibits. In the wild, gibbons live in nuclear families consisting of a mated pair and their dependent offspring. The family unit occupies a territory, and they defend its boundaries by a vigorous vocal and visual display. The vocal display consists of a spectacular, bird-like duet between the mated pair, with the young occasionally joining in. This vocalization, or song, is audible for long distances and is the primary way scientists (and poachers) locate wild populations. This haunting melody has become part of the folklore of the indigenous people of Southeast Asia.
There are 15 living gibbon species, whose coloration range from cream to brown, gray and black. In some species the males and females have a sex-specific coloration. The color of infants of some species are different from the adults. The 15 species are categorized in 4 genera: Nomascus, Symphalangus, Hoolock, and Hylobates.
Native to the dwindling rain forests of Southeast Asia, gibbons are arboreal and considered to be among the world's greatest acrobats. They have the ability to swing from tree to tree distances of 50 feet, at speeds of up to 35 mph, while in trees 200 feet above the ground. This mode of locomotion--swinging under branches while suspended by their hands--is called brachiating. Gibbons are one of the few monogamous primates, and whether on the ground or in the trees, they are known for their dexterity and ability to walk upright. Often referred to as the "songbirds" of the primate family and the most musical land mammal, gibbons can project their voices up to 2 miles through the dense rainforest canopy. Unfortunately, their natural habitat is being destroyed at the alarming rate of 32 acres per minute! This destruction shall guarantee the disappearance of their melodious songs as well.
Would you like to help GCC in our mission to save the gibbons? A small donation is a huge helping hand. Help us save an endangered species. Several gibbon species are on the brink of extinction. We need your help to ensure the survival of these magnificent creatures. Donations may be sent payable to GCC to:
Gibbon Conservation Center PO Box 800249 Santa Clarita, CA 91380 USA