Gibbon Conservation Center Gibbon Conservation Center

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okapikpr

Well-Known Member
This small facility in the scrub desert of California is the only gibbon focus breeding center in North America. Operated by a gibbon researcher, Alan Mootnick, they house several gibbons of five species:

White-cheeked
Pileated Gibbon (rare in NA)
Javan or Moloch Gibbon (rare in NA)
Agile Gibbon (rare in NA)
Siamang

Once located in a secluded area, suburban development has made its way out to the center's property and they are now looking to relocate to a more quiet place in southern california.

Gibbon Center Home
 
According to the US Federal Register, the Gibbon Conservation Center is planning to make some imports in the near future:

Applicant: Gibbon Conservation Center, Santa Clarita, CA, PRT-194502.
The applicant requests a permit to import two male and three female
captive-held eastern hoolock gibbons (Hoolock leuconedys) from the
Yangon Zoological Gardens, Myanmar for the purpose of enhancement of
the survival of the species through captive breeding.
Click to expand...

This import of 2.3 Hoolock Gibbons will more than double the current population of 4 (2007 numbers). This species along with the Javan, Pileated, and Gabrielle's gibbon species have all been upgraded to SSP status.

Applicant: Gibbon Conservation Center, Santa Clarita, CA, PRT-194504.
The applicant requests a permit to import one male captive-born
northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) from the Parc
Zoologique de Cleres, France for the purpose of enhancement of the
survival of the species through captive breeding.
Click to expand...

Im sure this will be a well needed addition to the fast expanding captive population of this species.
 
okapikpr said:
This import of 2.3 Hoolock Gibbons will more than double the current population of 4 (2007 numbers). This species along with the Javan, Pileated, and Gabrielle's gibbon species have all been upgraded to SSP status.

Im sure this will be a well needed addition to the fast expanding captive population of this species.
Click to expand...

Interesting news, I have visited their website regularly.

Okapikr, is that Hoolock gibbon population of 4 for the entire US?
 
Yes, well actually the entire AZA gibbon population. But my documents dont say where they are held and ISIS doesnt show any in captivity, unless I've overlooked something.
 
The conservation center is only about an hour and thirty minutes away from where I live, but I've never had the chance to visit. I've been wanting to visit for some time now. I've also been wanting to volunteer there for a while, but it's too far.
 
okapikpr,

Can you relate any particulars on the GCC molochs or pileateds?

What about the general outlook for pileated gibbons in SSP zoos?
Previously, Phoenix and Gladys Porter used to breed, but lately it seems the population has been stagnant (shame since a center in Cambodia is full of pileateds and they are looking at breeding them in captivity and setting up an in situ programme).

Cheers,

Jelle
 
Sorry, Jelle, I dont know the whole story about the pileated gibbons. All I know is that the pileated gibbon program was upgraded to SSP status recently.

As for some of GCC's gibbons, I know they have some press releases posted of their website about some of their breeding result.
 
According to their website they have had a birth of a Javan gibbon this year. Could someone give me details of this birth please? especially parents.
Thanks
 
Blackduiker

Wow, I was just viewing their website yesterday morning and now realize just how close they really are to me. I'm only some 4 miles away, though in that 4 miles it starts to get pretty rural. They're right next to the Angeles National Forest. I'll definitely be taking one of the tours in the near future and hope to take photographs, especially since they're looking to relocate soon. Even the Albertson's Market they use for directions and a place for groups to vanpool from, is frequented by my wife and I regularly.:cool:
 
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Would you be able to find out about silvery gibbon breeding for me please? especially births and the parents of those born in the last year.
Thanks
 
Have there been any developments with the planned importation of Hoolock Gibbons? It's now a year since okapikpr first mentioned it.
 
I just found some sad news about the founder of the Gibbon Conservation Center in Santa Clarita, California. He just died:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/10/s...o-gibbons-dies-at-60.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries

Has anybody here ever visited this place? It sounds like the founder, Alan Mootnick, was a genuine gibbon conservationist and scientist, despite lack of formal training. He wrote scientific papers and helped with field conservation projects for gibbons in Southeast Asia.

I haven't visited his facility. Apparently it is pretty basic, but genuinely focused on gibbon science and health and the animals have good homes.

The world needs several thousand or million more people like this guy to carry on conservation missions.
 
International Gibbon Center

Hi David

I have visited the Center twice, the last visit was probably 5 years ago, and I was very impressed with Alan's passion and steadfast commitment to study and breed gibbons. The collection was unrivaled in this hemisphere, with such gems as Javan, hoolock, and the spectacular Pileated gibbons in breeding groups. The mesh enclosures were simple but the animals seemed healthy. I know he dreamed of moving to a more optimum site, but his passing makes that seem unlikely. I would recommend anyone in the LA area to make a side trip to this fascinating place.
 
ericnielsenpdx said:
Hi David

I have visited the Center twice, the last visit was probably 5 years ago, and I was very impressed with Alan's passion and steadfast commitment to study and breed gibbons. The collection was unrivaled in this hemisphere, with such gems as Javan, hoolock, and the spectacular Pileated gibbons in breeding groups. The mesh enclosures were simple but the animals seemed healthy. I know he dreamed of moving to a more optimum site, but his passing makes that seem unlikely. I would recommend anyone in the LA area to make a side trip to this fascinating place.
Click to expand...

Thanks ericnielsenpdx for the response and feedback. I will take your recommendation and try to visit this facility. Hopefully they can carry the founder's work forward and help secure a good future for at least some populations of wild gibbons.
 
I have that facility on my list of soon to do, since its virtually in my backyard of Saugus, in the Santa Clarita Valley. Maybe within 3-4 miles of my home.
 
Visited the Center on Sunday. Interestingly, the hoolocks are eastern hoolock from Burma and China (Hoolock leuconedys), rather than western hoolock from India as I presumed (Hoolock hoolock). Given that Alan Mootnick, the founder of the Center, was also the one who defined the two hoolock species, I would assume their information is correct (and they all had Burmese house names); however, I know not where the gibbons came from.

For anyone interested in numbers, the GCC currently holds the following: 12 eastern hoolock, 11 Javan, 9 northern white-cheeked, 7 pileated, and 1 siamang (housed with a hoolock). These numbers included two gibbons born in the last year: a pileated and a hoolock.

Edit: Based on the studbook and B&T, they should have 6 siamangs; however, I definitely only saw one during my visit, so I'm not sure if I somehow missed the others or if they have been moved elsewhere.
 
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@jayjds2 Unfortunately I didn't think to take down sex ratios until I left. I remember that for pileated it was 3.4; a breeding pair (1.1), their four offspring (1.3), and an unrelated male (1.0). The Javans, I believe, were 8.3. For the hoolocks I have no idea.

The Center is less than an hour away from me; additionally, snowleopard should be visiting in July, so more information is definitely possible in the near future.
 
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