Snowleopard's Mammals: A Lifetime List of Species Mammalian and Non-Mammalian

[15399]

While I see the point you're trying to make, I think you are extrapolating a lot from a limited sample size as well as making very broad use of the term "regional" - as I wouldn't personally define Kansas, Wisconsin or the entire Eastern seaboard as "regions". Interestingly, the most notable regional difference I can discern is that the Northeast seems heavy on gorillas compared to the other great apes - which might explain your own experience seeing great apes

I agree my use of "regions" was flawed, I was just making the quick point that the holders of orangutans versus gorillas are not uniformly distributed across US zoos, with many states along the Eastern US (and in particular the northeast) being biased towards gorillas, while certain parts of the central US seem to have more orangutan holders than gorilla holders (Kansas, Wisconsin, and Indiana all have more orangutan holders than gorilla holders). Again, would I expect this to be a statistically significant correlation between region and great ape holdings? No. But from an anecdotal perspective and looking broadly at where holders are, it does appear that whether individual zoo enthusiasts see one species more often than the other could depend on which part of the country they frequent the zoos of.

Sure, California and Texas both having four gorilla holders and five orangutan holders isn't a significant difference in and of itself, nor would the fact Oregon and Arizona each have orangutans but no gorillas, but if a zoo enthusiast spends their entire life visiting zoos on the Western half of the United States they'd probably come to the conclusion that "orangutans are slightly more common in zoos than gorillas", while someone who spent their entire life in the Eastern half would likely come to the opposite conclusion.

 

[tigris115]

I agree my use of "regions" was flawed, I was just making the quick point that the holders of orangutans versus gorillas are not uniformly distributed across US zoos, with many states along the Eastern US (and in particular the northeast) being biased towards gorillas, while certain parts of the central US seem to have more orangutan holders than gorilla holders (Kansas, Wisconsin, and Indiana all have more orangutan holders than gorilla holders). Again, would I expect this to be a statistically significant correlation between region and great ape holdings? No. But from an anecdotal perspective and looking broadly at where holders are, it does appear that whether individual zoo enthusiasts see one species more often than the other could depend on which part of the country they frequent the zoos of.

Sure, California and Texas both having four gorilla holders and five orangutan holders isn't a significant difference in and of itself, nor would the fact Oregon and Arizona each have orangutans but no gorillas, but if a zoo enthusiast spends their entire life visiting zoos on the Western half of the United States they'd probably come to the conclusion that "orangutans are slightly more common in zoos than gorillas", while someone who spent their entire life in the Eastern half would likely come to the opposite conclusion.

I agree. I've always assumed gorillas were the most common ape in modern zoos compared to orangutans. Though both seem way more common than chimps and bonobos.

This is kinda odd to me as I thought there would be a lot of chimps in zoos with how many are kept in America

 

[snowleopard]

Do the orangutans at Pairi have access to the temple or is the temple just there for theming?

The temple's exterior is off limits to the orangutans, but indoors the apes literally sit on expensive marble and there's a nice, deep layer of mulch. The exterior has stairs that allow visitors a great view from the top and the whole thing is outrageous but in many ways great for both people and orangs.

@KevinB

A second orangutan exhibit is nearby, this time in the shape of a large wooden house. Again, the exterior is for visitors to be amazed at and the interior houses the apes.

@KevinB

There are multiple outdoor islands with orangutans having access to many climbing frames and even trees. Small-clawed Otters are here as well, which helps keep the apes elevated. Of the 74 different zoos that I've toured with Orangutans, Pairi Daiza is one of the best in terms of having an impressive exhibit.

P.S. Their gorilla 'volcano' complex isn't quite as successful. But that's another story.

@KevinB

 

[snowleopard]

I’ve visited 551 different zoos and aquariums, and I was curious to note how many zoos I’d been to with Chimpanzees. Gorillas was at 74, Orangutans also at 74 and Chimpanzees turned out to be 64 zoos.

Some of these zoos are ones I’ve visited on many occasions, but I’ve listed them only once and that is based on the first time I ever saw Chimpanzees at each zoo.

1- Perth Zoo (Australia) – 1987
2- Oregon Zoo (USA) – 2005
3- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – 2006
4- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – 2007
5- Lincoln Park Zoo (USA) – 2008
6- Toledo Zoo (USA) – 2008
7- Detroit Zoo (USA) – 2008
8- Zoo Knoxville (USA) – 2008
9- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – 2008
10- Oklahoma City Zoo (USA) – 2008
11- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – 2008
12- Emperor Valley Zoo (Trinidad & Tobago) – 2008
13- Zoo Miami (USA) – 2008
14- Sedgwick County Zoo (USA) – 2010
15- Tulsa Zoo (USA) – 2010
16- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – 2010
17- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – 2010
18- Maryland Zoo (USA) – 2010
19- North Carolina Zoo (USA) – 2010
20- Chattanooga Zoo (USA) – 2010
21- Montgomery Zoo (USA) – 2010
22- Dallas Zoo (USA) – 2010
23- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – 2010
24- ABQ BioPark Zoo (USA) – 2010
25- Oakland Zoo (USA) – 2011
26- Sacramento Zoo (USA) – 2011
27- Potawatomi Zoo (USA) – 2012
28- John Ball Zoo (USA) – 2012
29- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – 2012
30- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – 2012
31- Jackson Zoo (USA) – 2012
32- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – 2012
33- Sunset Zoo (USA) – 2012
34- Rolling Hills Zoo (USA) – 2012
35- DeYoung Family Zoo (USA) – 2014
36- Riverside Discovery Center (USA) – 2015
37- G W Exotic Animal Park (USA) – 2015
38- Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari (USA) – 2015
39- Houston Zoo (USA) – 2015
40- West Coast Game Park Safari (USA) – 2015
41- Stichting AAP (Netherlands) – 2019
42- Artis Royal Zoo Amsterdam (Netherlands) – 2019
43- Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) – 2019
44- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – 2019
45- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – 2019
46- Zoo Neuwied (Germany) – 2019
47- Wuppertal Zoo (Germany) – 2019
48- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – 2019
49- Krefeld Zoo (Germany) – 2019
50- Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Netherlands) – 2019
51- Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – 2019
52- Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) – 2019
53- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – 2019
54- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – 2019
55- Serengeti-Park (Germany) – 2019
56- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – 2019
57- Nordhorn Zoo (Germany) – 2019
58- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – 2019
59- Aalborg Zoo (Denmark) – 2022
60- Odense Zoo (Denmark) – 2022
61- Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden) – 2022
62- Boras Zoo (Sweden) – 2022
63- Kristiansand Zoo (Norway) – 2022
64- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – 2022

Analysis and highlights to follow in another post...

 

[snowleopard]

By far and away my most memorable moment seeing Chimpanzees was at Kansas City Zoo (USA) in 2010. I recall being slightly disappointed at first, as I strode up to the edge of the exhibit and I looked out onto a grassy meadow and a thick forest was in the background. There wasn't a single chimp in sight, but that was no surprise as the exhibit is 3 acres (1.2 hectares) in size. But, as I sat and waited, gradually some apes emerged from the forest, clambered down from treetops, and it was absolutely breathtaking. At least a dozen of the apes came down close to the visitor area and I had a wonderful zoo-visiting experience.

The flip side to that occasion was seeing a solitary Chimpanzee in a truly god-awful metal cage at Wild Wilderness Drive Through Safari (USA), which is a rural Arkansas zoo that I visited in 2015. There are long rows of baboons in tiny compartments and this chimp all alone with nothing to do:

Chimpanzee accommodation in zoos can be delightful or dreadful, as shown in my photos above. Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) is a zoo filled with great exhibits, including their Chimpanzee islands. This photo shows maybe 50% of the chimp space:

@Mr Gharial

There's even a 'grey' chimp there:

@vogelcommando

Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) has an excellent Chimpanzee exhibit, with lots of space outside:

And here is the indoor area for Chimpanzees at Osnabruck, an extraordinary complex with birds flying around above the heads of the apes.

@twilighter

Some exhibits offer up lots of height, such as at Odense Zoo (Denmark), with the Chimpanzees all up in the elevated zones:

Then there's crap like this at West Coast Game Park Safari (USA) on the Oregon coast:

And even aesthetically pleasing exhibits like this one at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA), complete with African-styled huts that might not appeal to everyone.

I mentioned earlier that I had visited only two zoos that had Gorillas inside 24/7 and six zoos with Orangutans kept only indoors. I'm happy to report that in the 64 zoos I've toured with Chimpanzees, only ONE of them kept the apes entirely indoors. What is really perplexing is that zoo is none other than Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark), a big, famous zoo with 1.5 million annual visitors and apparently still the Chimpanzee studbook holder for Europe. I could scarcely believe my eyes when I saw chimps without an outside exhibit at that Danish zoo in 2022. The zoo had at least 10 chimps in this all-indoor area (which does extend a bit to the left):

Lastly, @Neil chace pointed out that of the 74 zoos I'd visited with Gorillas, 23 of those facilities were overseas and outside of North America. Of the 74 zoos with Orangutans, also 23 of those facilities were overseas. Identical records. Of the 64 zoos with Chimpanzees that I've toured, 27 of those zoos were ones located overseas. From my data of visiting a lot of zoos in my lifetime, I certainly have the impression that Chimpanzees are much more common in zoos outside of North America as I saw loads of them on my 2019 and 2022 European trips.

 

[snowleopard]

I’ve visited 551 different zoos and aquariums and I've seen Bonobos at 14 zoos.

Some of these zoos are ones I’ve visited on many occasions, but I’ve listed them only once and that is based on the first time I ever saw Bonobos at each zoo.

1- San Diego Zoo (USA) – 2006
2- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – 2006
3- Columbus Zoo (USA) – 2008
4- Cincinnati Zoo (USA) – 2008
5- Memphis Zoo (USA) – 2008
6- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – 2008
7- Jacksonville Zoo (USA) – 2008
8- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – 2010
9- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – 2019
10- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – 2019
11- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – 2019
12- Wuppertal Zoo (Germany) – 2019
13- Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands) – 2019
14- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – 2019

I saw a lot of Bonobo exhibits between 2006 and 2010, probably all the ones within North America at that time. Then almost a decade went by with nothing, until my 2019 European trip when I watched Bonobos at 6 zoos in a month. Does anyone know how many zoos in the world actually have Bonobos? I'm curious to know which zoos I've not been to.

There's an amazing Bonobo exhibit at Planckendael Zoo (Belgium). The various spaces allow for natural behaviours, including fission-fusion as the apes have an abundance of options about where they wish to spend their time. There are 4 indoor rooms (see photo below) and 3 more indoor rooms behind the scenes, which allow for movement and choice, as well as a large island outdoor habitat.

Photos by @KevinB

Almost as impressive is the fantastic Bonobo exhibit at Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands), with a forested area that is probably a couple of acres in size.

At Cincinnati Zoo (USA), visitors peer into a dense jungle landscape in an attempt to spot Bonobos:

@Moebelle

Columbus Zoo (USA) also has a spacious home for Bonobos:

@Milwaukee Man

When I visited Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) in 2010, I saw what is still North America's largest group of Bonobos all indoors, practically tripping over each other in a congested area. A year later, a shiny new outdoor exhibit was built for them, which consisted of a black metal cage set within a forest. Good old Milwaukee, still refusing to build anything modern.

@Milwaukee Man

San Diego Zoo (USA) has a terrific exhibit as well, with a boisterous group of the apes:

@betsy

@Pleistocene891

When I visited San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) for the very first time in 2006, I spent a long time watching a troop of Bonobos in their grassy hillside habitat. Here's a photo of that exhibit from 2011, but I don't know the exact year that the apes left the Safari Park.

@betsy

Mammal Lists:

Elephants - 105 zoos (62 Asian, 53 African, including some zoos with both)
Gorillas - 74
Orangutans - 74
Chimpanzees - 64
Bonobos - 14

Next up: Gibbons

 

[15399]

probably all the ones within North America at that time.

Or at least all the ones that are easy to visit- ACCI (an ape cognition research facility in Iowa) also keeps a troop of bonobos, and while I have talked with one person who's visited, I don't think they have regular visitor hours.

 

[Pleistocene891]

I’ve visited 551 different zoos and aquariums and I've seen Bonobos at 14 zoos.

Some of these zoos are ones I’ve visited on many occasions, but I’ve listed them only once and that is based on the first time I ever saw Bonobos at each zoo.

1- San Diego Zoo (USA) – 2006
2- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – 2006
3- Columbus Zoo (USA) – 2008
4- Cincinnati Zoo (USA) – 2008
5- Memphis Zoo (USA) – 2008
6- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – 2008
7- Jacksonville Zoo (USA) – 2008
8- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – 2010
9- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – 2019
10- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – 2019
11- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – 2019
12- Wuppertal Zoo (Germany) – 2019
13- Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands) – 2019
14- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – 2019

I saw a lot of Bonobo exhibits between 2006 and 2010, probably all the ones within North America at that time. Then almost a decade went by with nothing, until my 2019 European trip when I watched Bonobos at 6 zoos in a month. Does anyone know how many zoos in the world actually have Bonobos? I'm curious to know which zoos I've not been to.

There's an amazing Bonobo exhibit at Planckendael Zoo (Belgium). The various spaces allow for natural behaviours, including fission-fusion as the apes have an abundance of options about where they wish to spend their time. There are 4 indoor rooms (see photo below) and 3 more indoor rooms behind the scenes, which allow for movement and choice, as well as a large island outdoor habitat.

Photos by @KevinB

Almost as impressive is the fantastic Bonobo exhibit at Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands), with a forested area that is probably a couple of acres in size.

At Cincinnati Zoo (USA), visitors peer into a dense jungle landscape in an attempt to spot Bonobos:

@Moebelle

Columbus Zoo (USA) also has a spacious home for Bonobos:

@Milwaukee Man

When I visited Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) in 2010, I saw what is still North America's largest group of Bonobos all indoors, practically tripping over each other in a congested area. A year later, a shiny new outdoor exhibit was built for them, which consisted of a black metal cage set within a forest. Good old Milwaukee, still refusing to build anything modern.

@Milwaukee Man

San Diego Zoo (USA) has a terrific exhibit as well, with a boisterous group of the apes:

@betsy

@Pleistocene891

When I visited San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) for the very first time in 2006, I spent a long time watching a troop of Bonobos in their grassy hillside habitat. Here's a photo of that exhibit from 2011, but I don't know the exact year that the apes left the Safari Park.

@betsy

Mammal Lists:

Elephants - 105 zoos (62 Asian, 53 African, including some zoos with both)
Gorillas - 74
Orangutans - 74
Chimpanzees - 64
Bonobos - 14

Next up: Gibbons

I really love the amount of viewing opportunities San Diego's exhibit has.

 

[snowleopard]

I've visited 62 zoos with Siamangs.

Some of these zoos are ones I’ve visited on many occasions, but I’ve listed them only once and that is based on the first time I ever saw Siamangs at each zoo.

1- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 1994
2- Point Defiance Zoo (USA) – Siamang– 2005
3- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2006
4- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2006
5- Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – Siamang – 2007
6- Melbourne Zoo (Australia) – Siamang – 2007
7- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Siamang– 2008
8- Columbus Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2008
9- Cincinnati Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2008
10- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2008
11- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2008
12- Phoenix Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2008
13- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2008
14- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – Siamang – 2008
15- Jacksonville Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2008
16- Zoo Miami (USA) – Siamang – 2008
17- Wildlife Safari (USA) – Siamang – 2010
18- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
19- Tulsa Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
20- Louisville Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
21- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
22- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
23- Cleveland Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
24- Riverbanks Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
25- Nashville Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
26- Montgomery Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
27- Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
28- Audubon Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
29- Houston Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
30- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
31- El Paso Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
32- ABQ BioPark Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
33- Oakland Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2011
34- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Siamang – 2011
35- Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2011
36- Great Plains Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
37- Erie Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
38- Rosamond Gifford Zoo (USA) - Siamang – 2012
39- Virginia Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
40- Brevard Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
41- Palm Beach Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
42- Naples Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
43- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – Siamang – 2012
44- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
45- Dickerson Park Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
46- Bramble Park Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2014
47- Roosevelt Park Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2014
48- Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – Siamang – 2014
49- Lee Richardson Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2014
50- Alexandria Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2015
51- Gibbon Conservation Center (USA) – Siamang – 2017
52- America’s Teaching Zoo: Moorpark College (USA) – Siamang – 2017
53- Zoo Lille (France) – Siamang – 2019
54- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Siamang – 2019
55- Dortmund Zoo (Germany) – Siamang – 2019
56- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – Siamang – 2019
57- Krefeld Zoo (Germany) – Siamang – 2019
58- Burgers’ Zoo (Netherlands) – Siamang – 2019
59- Berlin Zoo (Germany) - Siamang – 2019
60- Serengeti-Park (Germany) – Siamang – 2019
61- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Siamang – 2019
62- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – Siamang – 2019

I've made the 5-hour round-trip drive down to Seattle to visit Woodland Park Zoo (USA) on many occasions, and so the revolving pairing of Siamangs there were the first I've ever seen and the ones I've seen the most!

Both Louisville Zoo (USA) and Point Defiance Zoo (USA) have 'rotational' sets of exhibits, with Siamangs as a species at both zoos. On one day, or even during a morning tour, a visitor might see Siamangs in a particular enclosure and then the next time a person walks by the habitat there might be an Orangutan, or Tiger, or Small-clawed Otter, or Lowland Anoa in where the Siamang originally was. The animals are shifted through various exhibits at different times, which is an idea I like a lot but the execution is a bit hit-and-miss at these zoos. Here's an example of one of the exhibits at Point Defiance Zoo:

The Orangutan/Siamang exhibit at San Diego Zoo (USA) has grown on me over the years. There is a long row of viewing windows (far more than even what is shown in this photo), a soft-spongey floor for visitors, and the two ape species are consistently active and interacting with each other either on the ground or up on their metal climbing frames.

Nashville Zoo (USA) has a wonderful pair of gibbon islands, with one of them for Siamangs:

@pachyderm pro

It may be quite ugly in appearance, but this 'ruined temple' Siamang exhibit at Disney's Animal Kingdom (USA) is certainly memorable:

@geomorph

America's Teaching Zoo: Moorpark College (USA) is a training facility for future zookeepers, so the enclosures are necessarily small and basic. But, in truth, all the animal accommodation there is dire, including having two corn-crib cages for Siamangs. An ape is sitting on a bench in this one, wondering how the heck they ended up there. I saw Lion, Hyena and Coyote exhibits here in 2017 that were possibly the smallest and most bare I've ever seen in all my travels. Here's the Siamang cage and there's no excuse for it:

When I had a couple of big European zoo trips in 2019 and 2022, visiting 120 zoos and aquariums, I only saw Siamangs at 10 of them. Are they not as common across the Atlantic? Krefeld Zoo (Germany) had a memorable exhibit for all the wrong reasons, although in truth it held an elderly specimen and if I'm not mistaken the cage is not only empty but possibly bulldozed by now. Can anyone confirm if this structure still exists?

@vogelcommando

Most Siamang exhibits are of a high quality, but not many are as spectacular as this wonderful mixed-species habitat that is found at Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands). Here I saw Eld's Deer, Hog Deer, Banteng, Pig-tailed Macaques and Siamangs all together in quite an eclectic grouping of animals. Look at those trees for the apes!

@felis silvestris

@KevinB

@felis silvestris

Mammal Lists:

Elephants - 105 zoos (62 Asian, 53 African, including some zoos with both)
Gorillas - 74
Orangutans - 74
Chimpanzees - 64
Siamangs - 62
Bonobos - 14

 

[PossumRoach]

62 feels like an odd number because I have always considered siamangs numerous compared to great apes (sans chimpanzees). This is also considering that (at least in the US) there are more unaccredited zoos that keep them compared to gorillas and orangs. The idea of seeing them in fewer facilities than gorillas and orangs does sound odd.

 

[snowleopard]

62 feels like an odd number because I have always considered siamangs numerous compared to great apes (sans chimpanzees). This is also considering that (at least in the US) there are more unaccredited zoos that keep them compared to gorillas and orangs. The idea of seeing them in fewer facilities than gorillas and orangs does sound odd.

I have really enjoyed compiling all my lists, partly because they are full of surprises! I too would have guessed that Siamangs would be more common than the great apes, but that is not the case. Also, Siamangs are not found in roadside facilities in the USA, unlike other gibbon species. Just about every single American zoo I've been to with Siamangs is AZA-accredited and a noteworthy, reputable organization. That explains why, for the most part, the Siamang exhibits I've seen have been of a decent quality.

 

[TinoPup]

I have really enjoyed compiling all my lists, partly because they are full of surprises! I too would have guessed that Siamangs would be more common than the great apes, but that is not the case. Also, Siamangs are not found in roadside facilities in the USA, unlike other gibbon species. Just about every single American zoo I've been to with Siamangs is AZA-accredited and a noteworthy, reputable organization. That explains why, for the most part, the Siamang exhibits I've seen have been of a decent quality.

Siamangs are most definitely in roadside zoos. For example, I saw the species 6 times last year - 3 of those were AZA, and of the 3 that weren't, 2 fit all of the negative connotations that comes with "roadside". I saw them 4 times in 2022 and that was another even split, with all 4 being different from last year's 6.

 

[MRJ]

I have really enjoyed compiling all my lists, partly because they are full of surprises! I too would have guessed that Siamangs would be more common than the great apes, but that is not the case. Also, Siamangs are not found in roadside facilities in the USA, unlike other gibbon species. Just about every single American zoo I've been to with Siamangs is AZA-accredited and a noteworthy, reputable organization. That explains why, for the most part, the Siamang exhibits I've seen have been of a decent quality.

I'm not surprised that siamangs are not more popular than great apes. This is because great apes have pulling power just by being what they are. For the general public siamangs are generally unknown, and would not have the same pulling power. Mind you, they are usually more entertaining.

 

[15399]

While it has declined some in recent years, there is a regional bias in which gibbon species zoos are housing, even within the United States. The Gibbon SSP has a nice map located here: Member Zoos — Gibbon SSP, and as you can see much of the Northeast tends to be white-cheeked gibbon country, while much of the Southeast tends to have more siamangs, and California tends to be split between siamangs and white-handed. Given this, it wouldn't surprise me that the perception people have on how common siamangs are varies- and even more so once we consider the international trends. While I know in the AZA siamangs are the most common gibbon species, looking at Zootierliste it appears that in Europe the white-handed gibbon is the overwhelmingly most popular species. Europe also has more gibbon diversity than the United States has, with five species with a double-digits number of holders (compared to three in the United States).

Furthermore, while I suspect if you added up all gibbon holdings they'd likely be more popular than any one great ape, simply because they don't take up the same amount of space and resources, there is more competition for that space amongst gibbons. In the United States, siamangs, white-cheeked, and white-handed gibbons are all vying for the same space in zoos, and in Europe there are an additional two species as well (southern white-cheeked and pileated). A zoo wanting a gibbon species could pick from any of these species, and the average visitor wouldn't care or even know the difference, while a zoo that wants to display, say, gorillas, only has one species to choose from, and in the cases of chimps and orangutans only have two species to choose from.

 

[snowleopard]

I appreciate all the comments in regards to my post on Siamangs, a species that I've seen at 62 zoos. In total, I've visited 143 different zoos with gibbons, essentially double the number of zoos I've seen either Gorillas or Orangutans at. Gibbons are common species that are highly engaging for the public as they are wonderful to watch when brachiating around an enclosure and also gibbons can be quite loud at times.

The gibbon species that I've seen the most is the White-handed Gibbon at 64 zoos.

1- Edmonton Valley Zoo (Canada) – White-handed Gibbon – 2001
2- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – White-handed Gibbon – 2006
3- Detroit Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2008
4- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – White-handed Gibbon – 2008
5- Cincinnati Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2008
6- Indianapolis Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2008
7- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2008
8- Zoo Knoxville (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2008
9- Wildlife Safari (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
10- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
11- Binder Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
12- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
13- Birmingham Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
14- Cameron Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
15- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
16- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
17- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
18- Zoo Boise (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
19- Oakland Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2011
20- Santa Barbara Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2011
21- Santa Ana Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2011
22- Reid Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2011
23- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2011
24- Sacramento Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2011
25- Blank Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2012
26- Naples Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2012
27- Jackson Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2012
28- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2012
29- Sunset Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2012
30- Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2012
31- Roosevelt Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2014
32- Chahinkapa Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2014
33- Henry Vilas Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2014
34- Racine Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2014
35- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2014
36- Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2014
37- Pueblo Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2014
38- Tiger Safari (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2015
39- Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2015
40- Franklin Drive-Thru Safari (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2015
41- Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2015
42- Sequoia Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2015
43- Assiniboine Park Zoo (Canada) – White-handed Gibbon – 2018
44- Columbian Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2018
45- Stichting AAP (Netherlands) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
46- Zoo Lille (France) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
47- Zoo Maubeuge (France) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
48- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
49- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
50- Mondo Verde (Netherlands) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
51- Opel Zoo (Germany) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
52- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
53- Wuppertal Zoo (Germany) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
54- Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
55- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
56- Tierpark Strohen (Germany) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
57- NaturZoo Rheine (Germany) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
58- Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
59- Skaerup Zoo (Denmark) – White-handed Gibbon – 2022
60- Ree Park Safari (Denmark) – White-handed Gibbon – 2022
61- Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden) – White-handed Gibbon – 2022
62- Parken Zoo (Sweden) – White-handed Gibbon – 2022
63- Boras Zoo (Sweden) – White-handed Gibbon – 2022
64- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – White-handed Gibbon – 2022

I was at Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) last summer and that zoo had THREE exhibits for White-handed Gibbons that were all dull, basic cages next to a major road. Brutal. Here's an example:

It's marvelous to see gibbons high up in a canopy, like at Ree Park Safari (Denmark). A White-handed Gibbon is perched on a wooden pole in this photo from 2022, but I also saw the apes swinging around on the highest branches of this mini-Danish forest.

Calgary Zoo (Canada) has two White-handed Gibbons indoors within what was the old Giant Panda exhibit:

On my one and only day in France in 2019, I visited Zoo Maubeuge and saw White-handed Gibbons swinging around one of these giant metal disco balls. Stayin' alive, stayin' alive!

Assiniboine Park Zoo (Canada) has an exhibit that used to house Asiatic Lions, then African Lions, and now White-handed Gibbons:

Easily one of my most memorable (unfortunately) White-handed Gibbon experiences was at Jackson Zoo (USA) and it was horrible to see two gibbons trapped inside this hellhole:

Corn-crib cages are usually found at roadside American zoos, but Roosevelt Park Zoo (USA) is AZA-accredited and they keep their White-handed Gibbons in this tiny cage. When it rains, the water on the metal roof echoes and creates a thunderously loud environment for the occupants. When it snows, as it does frequently in North Dakota, the gibbons are locked inside a couple of little boxes on the right-hand side. I suspect that they are then transported into a large barn and given access to another small metal cage for the winter. AZA is stringent when it comes to the financial aspects of a zoo, but very lax in terms of exhibit quality.

It's best to end on a positive note and the beautiful island at Santa Barbara Zoo (USA) is arguably that small zoo's standout exhibit.

Mammal Lists:

Elephants - 105 zoos (62 Asian, 53 African, including some zoos with both)
Gorillas - 74
Orangutans - 74
Chimpanzees - 64
White-handed Gibbons - 64
Siamangs - 62
Bonobos - 14

 

[Philipine eagle]

Wonderful thread, with a very original approach!!! A real trip down memory lane, and with so many zoos and exhibits unknown to me.

The last siamang (a female) in Krefeld died in 2022. The building is no longer mentioned on the 2023 zoo map. Whether this means it has been demolished or is simply no longer in use, I don't know.

 

[snowleopard]

I have already provided extensive lists of the 64 zoos where I've seen White-handed Gibbons and the 62 zoos where I've seen Siamangs. Time to lump all the other gibbons into one post! I've been as accurate as I possibly can with gibbons, but remember that at many roadside American zoos the signage is very poor and thus it's impossible to be 100% perfect. I've gone with whatever was on the sign outside an exhibit. For example, I didn't break things down into Northern or Southern White-cheeked Gibbons simply because at many zoos I had no way of finding out that information as it wasn't listed.

Some of these zoos are ones I’ve visited on many occasions, but I’ve listed them only once and that is based on the first time I ever saw White-cheeked Gibbons at each zoo.

1- Perth Zoo (Australia) - White-cheeked Gibbon - 1987
2- Point Defiance Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2005
3- Oregon Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2005
4- Denver Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2006
5- Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2007
6- Melbourne Zoo (Australia) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2007
7- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
8- Lincoln Park Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
9- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
10- Toledo Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
11- Bronx Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
12- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
13- Pittsburgh Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
14- Columbus Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
15- Memphis Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
16- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
17- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
18- Zoo Miami (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
19- Wildlife Safari (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
20- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) –White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
21- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
22- Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
23- Nashville Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
24- Dallas Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
25- Virginia Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2012
26- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2012
27- Gibbon Conservation Center (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2017
28- America’s Teaching Zoo: Moorpark College (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2017
29- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
30- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
31- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
32- Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Netherlands) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
33- Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
34- Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
35- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
36- Parken Zoo (Sweden) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2022

Yellow-cheeked Gibbons:

1- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2006
2- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2006
3- Denver Zoo (USA) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2006
4- Phoenix Zoo (USA) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
5- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
6- Naples Zoo (USA) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2012
7- Niabi Zoo (USA) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2014
8- Artis Royal Zoo Amsterdam (Netherlands) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
9- Van Blanckendaell Park (Netherlands) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
10- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
11- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
12- Kristiansand Zoo (Norway) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2022

Southern Grey Gibbons:

1- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2007
2- Cincinnati Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2008
3- Mesker Park Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2010
4- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2010
5- Miller Park Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2014
6- Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2015
7- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2018

Pileated Gibbons:

1- Zurich Zoo (Switzerland) – Pileated Gibbon – 2003
2- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Pileated Gibbon – 2010
3- Gibbon Conservation Center (USA) – Pileated Gibbon – 2017
4- Randers Regnskov (Denmark) – Pileated Gibbon – 2022
5- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Pileated Gibbon – 2023

Silvery Gibbons:

1- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Silvery Gibbon – 2007
2- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – Silvery Gibbon – 2010
3- Gibbon Conservation Center (USA) – Silvery Gibbon – 2017

Agile Gibbons:

1- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) – Agile Gibbon – 2008
2- Houston Zoo (USA) – Agile Gibbon – 2010

Eastern Hoolock Gibbons:

1- Gibbon Conservation Center (USA) – Eastern Hoolock Gibbon – 2017

Total number of gibbons at the 551 zoos/aquariums that I've visited:

#1 - White-handed Gibbon – 64 zoos
#2 - Siamang – 62 zoos
#3 - White-cheeked Gibbon – 36 zoos
#4 - Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 12 zoos
#5 - Southern Grey Gibbon – 7 zoos
#6 - Pileated Gibbon – 5 zoos
#7 – Silvery Gibbon – 3 zoos
#8 - Agile Gibbon – 2 zoos
#9 - Eastern Hoolock Gibbon – 1 zoo

 

[15399]

For example, I didn't break things down into Northern or Southern White-cheeked Gibbons simply because at many zoos I had no way of finding out that information as it wasn't listed.

Some of these zoos are ones I’ve visited on many occasions, but I’ve listed them only once and that is based on the first time I ever saw White-cheeked Gibbons at each zoo.

1- Point Defiance Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2005
2- Oregon Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2005
3- Denver Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2006
4- Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2007
5- Melbourne Zoo (Australia) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2007
6- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
7- Lincoln Park Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
8- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
9- Toledo Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
10- Bronx Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
11- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
12- Pittsburgh Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
13- Columbus Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
14- Memphis Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
15- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
16- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
17- Zoo Miami (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
18- Wildlife Safari (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
19- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) –White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
20- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
21- Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
22- Nashville Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
23- Dallas Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
24- Virginia Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2012
25- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2012
26- Gibbon Conservation Center (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2017
27- America’s Teaching Zoo: Moorpark College (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2017r
28- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
29- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
30- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
31- Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Netherlands) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
32- Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
33- Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
34- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
35- Parken Zoo (Sweden) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2022

For what it's worth, all of the white-cheeked gibbons in United States zoos are assumed to be northern, while European zoos have both species (managed separately).

Southern Grey Gibbons:

1- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2007
2- Cincinnati Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2008
3- Mesker Park Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2010
4- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2010
5- Miller Park Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2014
6- Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2015
7- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2018

Pileated Gibbons:

1- Zurich Zoo (Switzerland) – Pileated Gibbon – 2003
2- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Pileated Gibbon – 2010
3- Gibbon Conservation Center (USA) – Pileated Gibbon – 2017
4- Randers Regnskov (Denmark) – Pileated Gibbon – 2022
5- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Pileated Gibbon – 2023

Silvery Gibbons:

1- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Silvery Gibbon – 2007
2- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – Silvery Gibbon – 2010
3- Gibbon Conservation Center (USA) – Silvery Gibbon – 2017
4- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) – Silvery Gibbon – 2018

Agile Gibbons:

1- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) – Agile Gibbon – 2008
2- Houston Zoo (USA) – Agile Gibbon – 2010

Between these species, I really wish there was a fourth species managed in US zoos. While I'm not sure there is the founder base or interest for such a program to be successful, it'd be really great if there was another species managed that morphologically looked more distinct from the white-handed and white-cheeked gibbons commonly seen in zoos. It's news to me that Omaha has (or had?) silvery/Javan gibbons though- I was under the impression that Fort Wayne, Greensboro, and the GCC were the only three US holders, glad to see there's slightly more interest.

 

[snowleopard]

Some of these zoos are ones I’ve visited on many occasions, but I’ve listed them only once and that is based on the first time I ever saw Gibbons at each of these 143 zoos.

1- Perth Zoo (Australia) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 1987
2- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 1994
3- Edmonton Valley Zoo (Canada) – White-handed Gibbon – 2001
4- Zurich Zoo (Switzerland) – Pileated Gibbon – 2003
5- Point Defiance Zoo (USA) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2005
6- Oregon Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2005
7- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2006
8- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Siamang & Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2006
9- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2006
10- Denver Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon & Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2006
11- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – White-handed Gibbon – 2006
12- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Southern Grey Gibbon & Silvery Gibbon – 2007
13- Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2007
14- Melbourne Zoo (Australia) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2007
15- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
16- Lincoln Park Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
17- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
18- Detroit Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2008
19- Toledo Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
20- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – White-handed Gibbon – 2008
21- Bronx Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
22- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
23- Pittsburgh Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
24- Columbus Zoo (USA) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
25- Cincinnati Zoo (USA) – Siamang & Southern Grey Gibbon & White-handed Gibbon – 2008
26- Indianapolis Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2008
27- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) – Agile Gibbon & Siamang & White-handed Gibbon (2008) & Southern Grey Gibbon (2018)
28- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
29- Zoo Knoxville (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2008
30- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
31- Phoenix Zoo (USA) – Siamang & Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
32- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Siamang & Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
33- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
34- Jacksonville Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2008
35- Zoo Miami (USA) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2008
36- Wildlife Safari (USA) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon & White-handed Gibbon – 2010
37- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – Siamang & White-handed Gibbon & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
38- Tulsa Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
39- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
40- Mesker Park Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2010
41- Louisville Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
42- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – Siamang & Silvery Gibbon – 2010
43- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
44- Binder Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
45- Cleveland Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
46- Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
47- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
48- Riverbanks Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
49- Nashville Zoo (USA) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
50- Birmingham Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
51- Montgomery Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
52- Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
53- Audubon Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
54- Houston Zoo (USA) – Agile Gibbon & Siamang – 2010
55- Dallas Zoo (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2010
56- Cameron Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
57- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
58- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon & Pileated Gibbon & Siamang & White-handed Gibbon – 2010
59- El Paso Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
60- ABQ BioPark Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2010
61- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
62- Zoo Boise (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2010
63- Oakland Zoo (USA) – Siamang & White-handed Gibbon – 2011
64- Santa Barbara Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2011
65- Santa Ana Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2011
66- Reid Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2011
67- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Siamang & White-handed Gibbon (2011) & Pileated Gibbon (2023)
68- Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2011
69- Sacramento Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2011
70- Great Plains Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
71- Blank Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2012
72- Erie Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
73- Rosamond Gifford Zoo (USA) - Siamang – 2012
74- Virginia Zoo (USA) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2012
75- Brevard Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
76- Palm Beach Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
77- Naples Zoo (USA) – Siamang & White-handed Gibbon & Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2012
78- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – Siamang – 2012
79- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2012
80- Jackson Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2012
81- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – Siamang & White-handed Gibbon – 2012
82- Dickerson Park Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2012
83- Sunset Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2012
84- Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2012
85- Bramble Park Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2014
86- Roosevelt Park Zoo (USA) – Siamang & White-handed Gibbon – 2014
87- Chahinkapa Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2014
88- Henry Vilas Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2014
89- Racine Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2014
90- Niabi Zoo (USA) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2014
91- Miller Park Zoo (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon – 2014
92- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2014
93- Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – Siamang & White-handed Gibbon – 2014
94- Lee Richardson Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2014
95- Pueblo Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2014
96- Tiger Safari (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2015
97- Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2015
98- Alexandria Zoo (USA) – Siamang – 2015
99- Franklin Drive-Thru Safari (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2015
100- Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (USA) – Southern Grey Gibbon & White-handed Gibbon – 2015
101- Sequoia Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2015
102- Gibbon Conservation Center (USA) – Eastern Hoolock Gibbon & Pileated Gibbon & Siamang & Silvery Gibbon & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2017
103- America’s Teaching Zoo: Moorpark College (USA) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2017r
104- Assiniboine Park Zoo (Canada) – White-handed Gibbon – 2018
105- Columbian Park Zoo (USA) – White-handed Gibbon – 2018
106- Stichting AAP (Netherlands) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
107- Artis Royal Zoo Amsterdam (Netherlands) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
108- Van Blanckendaell Park (Netherlands) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
109- Zoo Lille (France) – Siamang & White-handed Gibbon – 2019
110- Zoo Maubeuge (France) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
111- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
112- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – White-handed Gibbon & Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
113- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Siamang & Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
114- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
115- Mondo Verde (Netherlands) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
116- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
117- Opel Zoo (Germany) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
118- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
119- Wuppertal Zoo (Germany) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
120- Dortmund Zoo (Germany) – Siamang – 2019
121- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
122- Krefeld Zoo (Germany) – Siamang – 2019
123- Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Netherlands) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
124- Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
125- Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
126- Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands) – White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
127- Burgers’ Zoo (Netherlands) – Siamang – 2019
128- Berlin Zoo (Germany) - Siamang – 2019
129- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
130- Serengeti-Park (Germany) – Siamang – 2019
131- Tierpark Strohen (Germany) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
132- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Siamang & White-cheeked Gibbon – 2019
133- NaturZoo Rheine (Germany) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
134- Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) – White-handed Gibbon – 2019
135- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – Siamang – 2019
136- Skaerup Zoo (Denmark) – White-handed Gibbon – 2022
137- Ree Park Safari (Denmark) – White-handed Gibbon – 2022
138- Randers Regnskov (Denmark) – Pileated Gibbon – 2022
139- Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden) – White-handed Gibbon – 2022
140- Parken Zoo (Sweden) – White-cheeked Gibbon & White-handed Gibbon – 2022
141- Boras Zoo (Sweden) – White-handed Gibbon – 2022
142- Kristiansand Zoo (Norway) – Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – 2022
143- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – White-handed Gibbon – 2022

I'm definitely open to the idea of making any changes or corrections to my list. Gibbons are numerous at zoos and there's been many memorable experiences seeing them brachiating around an exhibit or hooting to each other. If it was up to me, every single zoo would have a modern, beautiful Gibbon exhibit as they are intelligent, stunning zoo animals.

In the summer of 2022 I found myself at Kristiansand Zoo (Norway), one of perhaps 35 European zoos that regularly receives a million or more annual visitors. The Yellow-cheeked Gibbon exhibit there is terrific, with a number of very tall trees that the apes utilized.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) is famous for its primates, having loads of monkeys and lemurs in its legendary buildings near the front of the zoo. I've seen FIVE different gibbon species there over the years and here's a photo of a Mueller's Gibbon (also known as a Southern Grey Gibbon):

@ThylacineAlive

An obscure facility that is visited by zoo nerds is the Gibbon Conservation Center (USA) in California, and I saw FIVE gibbon species at one time there in 2017. It's the one and only time I've ever looked at Eastern Hoolock Gibbons, in a very basic cage.

The enclosures at the establishment are all reminiscent of roadside American zoos, but the staff are as knowledgeable as anyone when it comes to gibbons. Here's an enclosure with some Pileated Gibbons:

Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) claims to have the largest tropical house of any zoo in Europe and the building is home to the indoor quarters for the zoo's herd of Asian Elephants, as well as some smaller creatures. Here can be found a lush island for White-handed Gibbons with loads of skylights in all directions. I toured this facility with @jwer in 2019.

@Mr Gharial

There are still poor gibbon exhibits to be found in zoos, such as this White-handed Gibbon cage at Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) that looks like a daycare center.

@Coelacanth18

I saw FOUR gibbon species at one time at Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) in southern Texas, another place where hardcore zoo nerds (who are willing to travel great distances) venture to when they get the chance. That place had a Jentink's Duiker and some Harnessed Bushbucks when I was there in 2010. Here's a great image of a Pileated Gibbon:

@jayjds2

Sometimes a big, old-fashioned cage works well for these animals, allowing them plenty of space to brachiate. Yellow-cheeked Gibbons were kept here for many years at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA), before they were replaced by Ring-tailed Lemurs for a few lame years, and now the gibbons are back.

@pachyderm pro

If a zoo can design a large outdoor space, with visitors being able to see the gibbons with no obstructions, then that is perhaps best as long as there are loads of climbing opportunities for the apes. Kolmarden Zoo (Sweden) has a nice exhibit for White-handed Gibbons:

@JamesB

Even the indoor housing is fairly spacious. Here's what I saw in 2022:

I enjoyed seeing lush undergrowth, several climbing frames, and active White-handed Gibbons at Lille Zoo (France):

Mammal Lists:

Gibbons - 143 zoos (64 White-handed, 62 Siamang, 36 White-cheeked, 12 Yellow-cheeked, 7 Southern Grey, 5 Pileated, 3 Silvery, 2 Agile, 1 Eastern Hoolock, with some zoos obviously having multiple types of gibbon)

Elephants - 105 zoos (62 Asian, 53 African, including some zoos with both)

Gorillas - 74
Orangutans - 74
Chimpanzees - 64
Bonobos - 14

 

[snowleopard]

For what it's worth, all of the white-cheeked gibbons in United States zoos are assumed to be northern, while European zoos have both species (managed separately).

Between these species, I really wish there was a fourth species managed in US zoos. While I'm not sure there is the founder base or interest for such a program to be successful, it'd be really great if there was another species managed that morphologically looked more distinct from the white-handed and white-cheeked gibbons commonly seen in zoos. It's news to me that Omaha has (or had?) silvery/Javan gibbons though- I was under the impression that Fort Wayne, Greensboro, and the GCC were the only three US holders, glad to see there's slightly more interest.

I figured that all the White-cheeked Gibbons in American zoos were 'Northern' ones, but I wasn't sure if a few 'Southern' apes had snuck in here and there. As you point out, European zoos have a bit more variety.

Also, thanks for the clarification on the gibbon situation in Omaha. On the photo I put in the thread, of a Mueller's Gibbon, there's actually a discussion about whether or not it is a Silvery Gibbon but that's surely incorrect. Since I pay an annual fee for "premium member" status on ZooChat, thankfully I can edit my posts and update the lists and I'll do that now. Cheers!