The Santa Barbara Zoo announced on November 14, 2025, that two new white-handed gibbons, Chanee and Mel, have joined Gibbon Island. The species is classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Chanee, a 19-year-old female, arrived from the Columbus Zoo in Ohio, where she was known for her bold personality and love for grapes, bananas, and long naps in a hammock. Mel, a 24-year-old male, came from the Gladys Porter Zoo in Texas late last week.
This pair was matched through the Species Survival Plan, a cooperative program among accredited zoos to help protect endangered species and support long-term population survival…