About Gibbon Conservation Center

Founded in 1976 by Alan Richard Mootnick, the Gibbon Conservation Center (GCC) houses the rarest group of small Asian apes in the Western Hemisphere. We currently house 38 gibbons, representing five species. All are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species list. One of them, the northern white-cheeked gibbon, is critically endangered. 

The mission of the GCC is to promote the conservation, study, and care of gibbons through public education and habitat preservation. We educate the public about gibbons, threats to their survival, and the actions the public can take to protect them. Each year, GCC provides educational tours for veterinarians, anthropology students, graduate students, K-12 school children, scout troops, and animal lovers of all ages. We also encourage noninvasive behavioral studies to increase global knowledge and understanding of gibbons, both captive and wild, as well as support ongoing field conservation projects in their countries of origin.

At the GCC, we use our knowledge and experience to improve the lives of captive gibbons by assisting and advising zoos and rescue centers in better captive management.