THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIBBON
Utica Zoo Celebrates Birth of Baby White-Handed Gibbon
It is with much excitement that Utica Zoo publicly welcomes a male, White-handed Gibbon
baby! His birth is a huge win for the conservation of this endangered species, who continue
to face severe threats and declining populations.
The Utica Zoo shared a discreet social media post earlier this month on the topic, claiming
they had a secret to unveil, but they weren’t quite ready to reveal the details just yet.
Anticipation grew as the community engaged online with their guesses, or even hopes, as to what this unknown information could be.
Just before her 38 th birthday, White-handed (Lar) Gibbon, Snowflake, of the Utica Zoo, gave birth surrounded by her keeper and veterinary staff in the late afternoon of December 17 th , 2025. Her caretakers describe Snowflake as a “fantastic mother”, who after giving birth “immediately started to clean her offspring and brought him to her chest for nursing. He was born, was holding on, and had his eyes open immediately.” The arrival of sweet babies is always a momentous occasion; however, this particular birth was one that made conservation history! According to the Species Survival Plan (SSP), the oldest female of this species to have successfully delivered offspring was 37.95 years old. On December 17th, 2025, Snowflake was 37.90 years old. It is possible there are other older, female Lar Gibbons out there not listed with the SSP, but Snowflake is now certainly one of the oldest recorded Lar Gibbons to give birth!
This species lives in family groups, with offspring typically staying with parents until they
reach maturity at around 8 years old. According to keeper staff, the entire family group is
getting along fantastically, including biological father, Yoda, and this new baby’s older brother, Dooku. Snowflake just celebrated her 38 th birthday on January 22 nd , while Dooku will celebrate his 3 rd birthday on January 30 th .
The addition of yet another baby of this species within just a few years solidifies how their
new exhibit consistently provides a flourishing, healthy environment for their family and
promotes their well-being. The ‘We Don’t Like It Either’ campaign launched in 2018 by the
Utica Zoo funded this new exhibit, and within just a few years, Yoda and Snowflake conceived Dooku, who was born after a reproduction hiatus of 23 years. Now, this new male makes them a fantastic family of four!
With the overwhelming joy the zoo feels to be presented with the exceptional gift of life, they would like to spread the love and extend the ‘gift that keeps on gibbon’ to the public by offering a new, specialized membership program. This birth has sowed the seed for the launch of their ‘Wittle Wild Wonders’ (WWW) membership program, where members are gifted exclusive monthly insight and first-to-know information on the baby’s milestones. As a Utica Zoo WWW member, one becomes a valuable supporter for the zoo’s special young
newcomers by helping provide them with food, vitamins, supplements, enrichment, veterinary care, and even habitat upgrades. The White-handed Gibbon species is making momentous progress, and the zoo is so happy to be able to share their important milestones with members! One looking for more details regarding this membership or interested in signing up should head to; https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E122039
The Utica Zoo plans to host a baby shower for Snowflake and her growing family once
spring arrives and will share details with the public once the snow starts to melt.
This sweet boy is still waiting to claim his name, which presents an exciting opportunity for members of the community to partner with the Utica Zoo! A generous benefaction of $10,000 grants the individual or organization to declare this baby with one of the pre-selected names thought up by Utica Zoo’s keeper staff, as well as sponsors the new WWW membership program, Snowflake’s baby shower event in the spring, White-handed Gibbon exhibit signage, and even more customizable benefits. One looking to mimic Enessa Carbone and Family’s sponsoring of White-handed Gibbon, Dooku, and becoming this
important partner should email a.heath@uticazoo.org with their inquiries.
The Utica Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is the Best of
Mohawk Valley Community Choice Award Winner for 2025. It is a regional destination that
inspires and promotes the appreciation of wildlife through education, conservation, and
recreation. Situated in the heart of Central New York, the zoo features a diverse collection of animals from around the world and offers various educational programs and events for visitors of all ages. It is home to approximately 200 exotic and domestic animals, welcoming nearly 100,000 visitors annually and is open daily from 10 am to 4:30 pm 363 days a year, with only the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. For more information on this, and all things Utica Zoo, visit UticaZoo.org or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!
