Utica Zoo Welcomes Two Endangered Gibbon Babies

Morning songs echo through the Utica Zoo as a family of four white-handed gibbons sings together, celebrating the arrival of their youngest member and a victory for his endangered species.

Snowflake and Yoda, a gibbon couple in their late 30s and early 40s, welcomed son Dooku in January 2023 and baby Artoo this past December. The zoo will throw a baby shower for Artoo on Saturday, May 30, where visitors can watch the family enjoy special treats and enrichment activities.

The family spends their days as a tight-knit unit. Most mornings begin with synchronized duets between the mated pair, songs that would mark their territory in the wild but now strengthen their bond in captivity.

Little Artoo is learning to climb and swing while his older brother Dooku entertains himself for hours with his favorite orange toy. Their parents watch proudly, grooming each other and their growing boys.

White-handed gibbons face serious threats in southeast Asia, where illegal pet trade and deforestation have pushed them toward extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists them as endangered, making every birth at participating zoos crucial for the species' survival.

The Utica Zoo participates in multiple Species Survival Plans. In 2022, a Hartmann's mountain zebra named Zara was born at the zoo and will soon move to another facility to start her own family.

The zoo's three African lions, all born there between 2011 and 2012, represent another vulnerable species. Red panda cubs Bao and Momo, who turn one in June, add to the zoo's conservation success stories.

The Ripple Effect

Saturday's baby shower asks visitors to bring enrichment gifts like puzzle feeders, bubbles, spices, or even simple cardboard boxes. These items encourage natural behaviors and keep animals mentally stimulated.

Anyone bringing a gift enters a raffle for a free family membership. Visitors wearing blue get a dollar off admission.

Cari Camizzi, the zoo's assistant general curator, explains that enrichment can include scent additions, rearranged climbing structures, or food hidden in creative ways. The zoo maintains a wish list on Amazon for supporters who want to send items directly.

The celebration includes an educational quiz about baby animals and a keeper talk at 11:30 a.m., giving families a chance to learn while celebrating.

These small gibbons with their long arms and hook-shaped fingers represent something bigger: proof that zoos can make a real difference for species struggling to survive in the wild.