The Santa Barbara Zoo is welcoming a new male gibbon to its facilities.
Nikko the Gibbon has lived at the Oakland Zoo for the last 32 of 35 years of his life. Oakland zookeepers decided to transfer him after he had trouble finding a new mate since his previous pate’s passing in January.
Gibbons are social primates and are known to sing duets together, zookeepers said.
Beloved resident Nikko the Gibbon is heading to @SantaBarbaraZoo after 32 years here at Oakland Zoo. There he will join two other gibbons to create (we hope) a happy blended family. Come say goodbye to Nikko before he heads south on 11/27!#DearNikko pic.twitter.com/lYJwDPGsFY
— Oakland Zoo (@oakzoo) November 20, 2018
The Oakland Zoo says it tried to find Nikko a new mate but was unsuccessful. The Santa Barbara Zoo plans to introduce him to Jasmine, age 40, and Jari, age 4. The two zoos are hopeful that Nikko will transition well to the new environment.
The zoos will decide in two or three weeks whether Nikko is adjusting well to the new zoo.
Nikko’s last day in Oakland was on Monday.
The Oakland Zoo is following his journey using the hashtag #dearnikko.
