Gabi - Director
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Gabriella Skollar has been working for the Gibbon Conservation Center (GCC) since 2005. She graduated in 2004 with a Master’s degree in Biology at the University of Szeged, in Hungary. She first became involved with gibbons when her University adviser asked her to record Kaszat, a northern white-cheeked gibbon in the Szeged Zoo. After many hours of early morning recording and observation, it became her passion to study gibbon vocalization. Gabriella moved to the U.S. in 2005 to work as a volunteer caregiver and researcher at the GCC, initially supported by the Rosztoczy Scholarship. In 2007, she became a full-time Primate Caregiver and Research Assistant. In November 2011, after the passing of Alan Mootnick, the Founder of the GCC, Gabriella became responsible for the day-to-day care and health of the gibbons, and the supervision of other caregivers, maintenance staff and volunteers. In 2014, January Gabriella became the Director of the GCC.
Gabriella is an active participant in the gibbon zoological, conservation, and scientific communities worldwide. As the SSA Zoo Liaison at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Primate Specialist Group, she is responsible for representing the SSA within the Zoo community, and improving links between in-situ and ex-situ conservation. She is also a husbandry advisor for the gibbon SSP in the USA, as well as a member of the gibbon hand-rearing and surrogate team. Gabriella gives educational lectures and tours at the GCC, focusing on gibbon conservation and behavior. She has presented at international conferences on gibbon husbandry, cognition, and social behavior. Currently, her studies focus on gibbon vocalization with the goal that her studies will support gibbon conservation efforts. Gabriella has dedicated her life to the protection and study of gibbons, while educating others about these fascinating primates. |
Alma - Operations & Development Manager
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Alma was hired in 2011 as a primate caregiver and project manager. Alma is a graduate of California Polytechnic University in Pomona, CA with a BS degree in Animal Science as well as a minor in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. Alma holds an Event Planning certificate from Cal Poly Pomona, the Extended University, as well as a certificate from Safe-Capture International & San Diego Zoo Global in Safe Chemical Immobilization. In 2015 she visited Java to see both the field and release sites of the Javan gibbons and meet with key individuals in their in-situ program.
Alma has developed education programs and is working on expanding and improving those programs to continue to make them a valuable resource to the community. She organizes fundraising events, manages all sponsorships and has initiated new avenues of productively raising funds. Alma’s other responsibilities include giving tours, training volunteers, feeding and training animals, ongoing maintenance to the website, advertising, community outreach, email blasts, writing grants, bookkeeping, as well as ongoing maintenance to gibbon enclosures. |
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Howard Martin DVM
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Sophia - Animal Care Specialist
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Sophia Paden started volunteering at the Gibbon Conservation Center in January of 2018 and became a staff member in 2022. She has a passion for working with gibbons and contributing to their conservation efforts. Sophia graduated from the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program (EATM) at Moorpark College in 2020 with an Associate in Animal Science degree. EATM is a renowned hands-on program that teaches students a variety of animal career related skills, including positive reinforcement training. Animals she trained and/or cared for include tigers, a spider monkey, a Harris hawk, and more. Sophia holds over 17 San Diego Zoo Global certificates, which includes certificates for Enrichment and Operant Conditioning/Behavior Management. She is completing her Bachelor's of Science degree in Psychology through Oregon State University and will graduate in December 2022.
Sophia has a great interest in utilizing positive reinforcement training to teach gibbons to voluntarily accept medical procedures, like injections. This helps reduce their stress and keep them comfortable during veterinary exams. Sophia's duties at the GCC include feeding and training gibbons, preparing food for the gibbons, cleaning enclosures, providing enrichment, and giving tours. Sophia is also the Volunteer Coordinator. She schedules and trains volunteers for the GCC. |
Jesse - Maintenance Dept.
Orien - Caregiver in training |
Orien has put in his hours on various tasks under the supervision of GCC staff. If you would like to help out at the GCC too please contact [email protected]
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