GIBBON
CONSERVATION CENTER
A nonprofit center for the study, preservation, and propagation of highly endangered species
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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:
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GCC specializes in
behavioral studies on gibbons, collected
by students, scientists and volunteers working at the Center. Several
mated pairs have produced offspring, making an important contribution to the
world's captive gibbon population, both in terms of numbers and in the genetic
diversity of the species. Offspring are housed at the Center in species-typical
family units until they reach adulthood. At that time, they are removed from
the family and housed with a mate, which imitates what normally happens in the
wild.
GCC also offers advice, free of charge, to zoos, government agencies and
gibbon rescue centers throughout the world. A portion of donations received by
GCC is given to projects devoted to the conservation of wild gibbon populations,
especially those in Java, India, Kalimantan, China and Vietnam. The Hainan
gibbon (Nomascus hainanus), found only on Hainan Island off the coast of
China, is considered to be the most endangered known primate. There are
approximately 20 individuals left on the island! Also nearly extinct is the
Eastern black gibbon (Nomascus nasutus), of NE Vietnam, east of the Red
River and southern China. There are approximately 110 of this gibbon
species left, making these two gibbon species the rarest primates on earth.
Please visit us for
educational tours
by appointment at GCC. We welcome students and other groups who are interested in learning about
these fascinating apes. Tour information is available at
info@gibboncenter.org
or by phoning 661-296-2737 (9 AM-8 PM Pacific Time).
GCC is
an institutional member of SEAZA (South East Asian Zoo Association).
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General Information |
Volunteer Information Alan
Mootnick, Director
Gabriella Skollar, research assistant & caregiver |
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GCC Board of
Directors Alan Mootnick, President Geri-Ann Galanti, Ph.D., Vice-President Jami Kennedy, Secretary & Treasurer Donald Sutherland, Ph.D., member of the board Bill Benbassat, DPH, member of the board Bob Arnold, member of the board E. A. Hankins III., M.D., member of the board Mike Ayars, member of the board Dia Collins, member of the board Howard Martin, DVM, member of the board Patricia Dahle, member of the board Lauren Arenson, Ph.D., member of the board |
Staff
Medical Advisors
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Advisory Board Ardith Eudey Ph.D. David Chivers, Ph.D. Rich Tenaza, Ph.D. Joe Marshall, Ph.D. Gene Albrecht, Ph.D. David Churchman, Ph.D. Kenneth Gold, Ph.D. Roland Wirth Ron Nadler, Ph.D. Vellayan Subramaniam, DVM Barbara Adolph Jatna Supriatna, Ph.D. Marlon Schulman, Esq. Chris Roderick Ann Shea Helena Fitch-Snyder Juanita Kempe Craig Stanford, Ph.D. Dan Miller |
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