The Santa Barbara Zoo has two new residents hanging out in its rainforest canopy: Chanee and Mel, a pair of endangered white-handed gibbons.
Gibbons are small apes with long arms that allow them to move quickly through the tall trees of tropical rainforests. Their name comes from their white hands and feet, with the rest of their body being either black or buff-colored. Gymnasts by nature, these animals mark their territory through dramatic shows of acrobatics and loud singing.
However, destruction of rainforests and poaching by humans pose a big threat to the survival of the species. Chanee and Mel were matched and brought to the zoo under the guidance of the Species Survival Plan, a collaborative program to support the long-term survival of endangered species in accredited zoos…