Does anyone have any info on gibbons in AZA facilities? Things like current population status, phased in and out species, and births would be what I'm looking for.
Here is a short breakdown. Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys): 48.38.1 at 28 institutions (Studbook data as of 2018). Increasing population. Yellow SSP. Siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus): 68.69 at 57 institutions (Studbook data as of 2016). Stable population. Yellow SSP. White-handed Gibbon (Hylobates lar): 60.61.3 at 56 institutions (Studbook data as of 2018). Decreasing population. Yellow SSP. This is quite an interesting (but not unexpected) development as just a few years ago White-handed Gibbon was the most numerous gibbon species in AZA collections. Siamang is now the most common species with Northern white-cheeked gibbon likely set to become the most common species in a few years time. All species apart from these three are phase-out as far as aim aware. There is also small numbers of Agile (Hylobates agilis), Eastern Hoolocks (Bunopithecus leuconedys), Mueller’s (Hylobates muelleri), Javan (Hylobates moloch), Pileated (Hylobates pileatus) and Red-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus gabriellae) in USA collections. Only holder of Eastern Hoolocks (Bunopithecus leuconedys) is the Gibbon Conservation Center in Santa Clarita, California. They also keep the majority of Javan Gibbons (Hylobates moloch) with the remaining kept at Fort Wayne and Greensboro. I believe the Hoolock population is stable while the Javan population is slowly increasing. Again the Gibbon Conservation Center is home to the majority of Pileated Gibbons (Hylobates pileatus) in the US with the remaining kept at Gladys Porter and Wildlife World. Agile Gibbons (Hylobates agilis) is kept at Omaha. Not sure if the individual at Houston is still alive? any others? Mueller’s Gibbons (Hylobates muelleri) is kept at Cleveland, Cincinnati, Gladys Porter, Omaha and Miller Park. Any others? Not been much (if any?) breeding success in recent years. Aim least certain when it comes to which collections keep Red-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus gabriellae) but as far as aim aware it is kept at Denver, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Naples, Phoenix? and San Diego.
So how has breeding been with the main three species? This might be a lot to ask but per year how many are born in AZA zoos?
Also why are white handed gibbons in the AZA having a population decrease? They seem to be commonplace.
Looking at a historical persective the White-handed Gibbon (Hylobates lar) is by far the most common species kept in captivity in North America. Not exactly sure when the first individual was imported but Philadelphia Zoo received a male in June 1901 and was among the first zoos in USA to successfully bred this species in 1942. Even if it took until the 1970s before they were being bred in captivity somewhat regularly this long-lived species were being imported in sufficent numbers up until the late 1970s to get a captive population established. Many White-handed gibbons currently in zoos are old/past breeding age whilst many others are kept in non-breeding situations (alone or in single sex groups) and although they are successfully bred regularly this is not enough to offset animals dying. The population in AZA collections have declined quite sharply in the last decade and this decline is evidently continuing. I have no idea if this is planned by the AZA in order to clear up some space for the increasing populations of Northern white-cheeked Gibbon and Siamang. As have been discussed elsewhere on this forum White-handed gibbons is largely kept by smaller AZA collections these days whilst many larger zoos have shifted their focus towards Nomascus gibbons and/or Siamang. There is no seperate sections for recent births/deaths in the studbooks but if I would make a guess then I would say between 4-8 births per year for Siamang and White-handed gibbon and around 10 for Northern White-cheeked Gibbon.
So one could say if there was an empty exhibit that was used for gibbons before, it would be filled with white-cheeked gibbons or siamangs since they have a breeding population.
I can't imagine why you'd ask a question like that. After all, it's not like a zoo near you just recently got rid of its last white-handed gibbon and now has such an exhibit available. (fyi, that's sarcasm)
Well I wouldn’t say “got rid of” but yeah, you caught me In all seriousness though California has mainly white handed gibbons and siamangs with no breeding groups/pairs besides San Diego, how is the gibbon breeding population in the states of Arizona, Washington, Oregon, and New Mexico?
I visited Catoctin Zoo the summer of 2017 and they exhibited either a Muellers or Javan, the latter being a species I have never seen. The only info the keeper could give me was they had a pair come in from a private facility but the male died shortly after arriving and he was in his 40s. The female was on display. When I asked if it was a Javan the keeper said she believed so but wasnt sure. Any info on the female would be great. As of last summer no gibbons were on exhibit
Interesting. Crandall (1964) records a lar gibbon, born in Philadelphia, on 14th August 1940. Also from a historical perspective, Crandall records that the first gibbon to be born in the USA was a moloch gibbon in San Diego on 10th May 1938. He also records a siamang born in Milwaukee on 10th July 1962 and mentions a pileated gibbon x agile gibbon hybrid born in Washington Zoo.
At least several years ago the policy was indeed, that White-handed Gibbons should decrease to make room for rarer gibbon species, mostly Nomascus.
Her name was Mark, and she was the first Siamang born in captivity in North America (possibly world?)
Yes, Crandall comments this "seems to be the first recorded instance of the breeding of this species in captivity".
