Gibbon Conservation Center

I was a little skeptical as I pulled up to this place. It’s off a dirt road, and me being from the east coast wondered if the place even existed anymore. It costs $ 15 for a regular adult admission. At first I thought it was kind of steep, but I quickly learned that all the money they get from admissions goes to gibbons. It costs $ 600/​week to feed them. For $ 15, I got to learn about gibbons, hear them «sing», and get some neat pictures. If you’re in the area or driving through, it’s a pretty neat place to check out.

I’ve been following this organization on Facebook for a while and never had the chance to visit.
Saw that they had a charity brunch happening and thought this was a perfect time to go.
Located near the bouquet canyon section part of Santa Clarita, great spot for the organization.
Dirt road parking with the surrounding mountains as your view.
The center is small. But again, this isn’t a zoo so don’t expect this to be one. There are several rocking bench located in front of each cages, so you may just sit down relax, sketch, take pictures, or just enjoy the view of the gibbons «monkeying».
I read that the Gibbons usually due their «singing» mid mornings. So getting around noon, I already anticipated that I wasn’t going to be able to hear them sing. To my joy, they were singing throughout the day. So surreal to have that many gibbons singing at once.
Unfortunately as this is an on ordinary day, I didn’t fail to look at tour time, but tours were happening throughout the day. I was lucky however for the tour guide invite me to come along with them to go behind the gates to see the mother with the two young gibbons. Such a treat.
I definitely enjoyed the event and will come back again and again.

These beautiful animals are taken care of by a wonderful staff, this is a great day trip for a family to learn all about them!

We had a wonderful visit to the Gibbon Conservation Center this past Sunday. I highly recommend you get there no later than 9:45 A.M. so you can pay your entry fee and be ready for the tour. Although you can look around on your own, it’s much more interesting to get the guided tour (which is included in your price of admission).
This is the largest gibbon conservation center in the Western Hemipshere. They provide a safe home for gibbons who otherwise might be destroyed by the zoos who give them up. Rarely, but periodically, gibbons are returned to the wild after a period of preparation (training). Zoos that need gibbons can also get them from this center rather than capturing them in the wild.
The small, but dedicated, staff clearly loves their gibbons. I think your young children will get a great deal out of their visit, perhaps more than they might from visiting a zoo where they’ll be overwhelmed with animals.
There is a small gift shop which you might like to visit on the way out; profits go to this non-​profit conservancy. There are books, stuffed animals, jewelry, and other items.

Had a family outing here today and it was a wonderful experience. Got there in time for the tour and the director shared in depth histories about the animals. She is certainly passionate and committed which made the experience so much more enjoyable. All questions were welcome. We were there a couple of hours. The gibbons are so playful, they can be mesmerizing. Entrance is affordable and goes for a great cause, but if money is a little tight, check out groupon. Groupon is actually how we found this little place.

If you roll down you windows and listen close enough, you can probably hear the gibbons as you drive along the dirt road up to the conservation center. Once in the parking lot, you will begin to definitely see some activity, even in the hot Santa Clarita heat.
They are open to the public every Saturday and Sunday morning from 9:30 to 12 (except for rainy days and holidays). It’s $ 15 bucks for adults to get in and a quite informative tour is given at 10:00 in the morning which lasts about an hour, but you can certainly hang out longer.
As a conservation center and a registered charity, their mission is to promote, study and care of gibbons through public education and habitat preservation. This is not a petting zoo and you don’t get to feed the animals, but it’s pretty neat to be able to see them so close. And even more fun if there are babies when you come visit.
It’s a fairly small facility that’s completely outdoors with some dozen or so enclosures that you situated in a circle formation. The trees provide a bit of shade. Each enclosure houses different personalities and family structures. It’s very fun to watch the gibbons play and interact with each other.
Be sure to bring water, snacks and sunscreen or a hat… they don’t sell any and it can get very hot out here.

The Gibbon conservatory which is located off the beaten path in Santa Clarita was founded by Alan Mootnick, he ran the sanctuary until his passing in 2011.
Our tour guide Gabriela graduated in 2004 with a Masters degree in biology at the University of Szeged in Hungary and came to the US is 2005 to specifically volunteer at the Gibbon Conservatory where she would work with Mr. Mootnick for the next 7 years and is now the director.
Gabriela (Gabi) and her staff have a deep love for the Gibbons you can hear it in their voices when the speak of these rare Asian Apes that are quite a site to be seen & heard.
They have a Port a potty for a restroom and they do not have a concession stand, so if you are planning to stay the entire day, pack a lunch or bring snacks.
Taking the advice of tips and reviews from past Unilocal reviewers we made sure to be at the conservatory by 10AM and sure enough the Gibbons were in full song mode.
As told by Gabi the female is the dominant of this species and she begins to warble and soon enough she starts to sing, then her neighbors call back as if in competition at who has the best voice.
The Gibbons normally mate for life, but occasionally the male does stray, (I’m not making that up either).
I loved the fact that the Father is very doting to the babies, often grooming them, but otherwise, The Mom calls the shots in the long run.
This isn’t a long tour, we arrived at 10AM and left at Noon, but you can stay the day if you want, they have several tables and chairs set up.
Eventually the sanctuary Wishes to move to the Ventura County as the Climate will be better suited for the Gibbons as their natural habitat is the rainforest.
This tour is for all ages, if you love wildlife, science, and the sound of animals singing stop in soon.
$ 15 for adults, and make sure to check Groupon they have 2 for 1 deals all the time.

Loved visiting this morning. Such amazing creatures with a wonderfully caring staff looking after them! Worth every penny! (Can’t say more without possibly ruining your own visit!)

It’s a place out of sight and no spectacular entrance, but I guess that’s it’s charm.
When visiting be prepared for outside conditions women, tennis shoes/​sneakers recommended in my opinion. There is no paved path, outdoors environment. Bring your water bottles and a sandwich, there is no drinks sold or snacks.
The hostess is pleasant and sweet. The Gibbon’s are beautiful, musical, territorial, and a limited edition, so go visit with them.
Gibbon’s are family oriented, they are caged together. You will notice there is a mailbox in front of their cages for each to receive donations for medical support and what ever else is needed. Please help them out, go to their facebook and look at their beautiful families and make donations.

It is amazing to hear the gibbons sing. It is sad to see them in cages. The tour was great. I learned a lot about these small apes. I hope they are able to get the larger location & bigger enclosures.

Upon walking up the gravel entrance of the Gibbon Conservation Center, you are prompted to dip the bottom of your shoes in a mild sanitizing solution to prevent unnecessary spreading of bacteria and viruses.
I took advantage of the student admission price at $ 12.00, which is not bad at all considering these proceeds go to a good cause. (Adult admission is $ 15.00, Senior admission is $ 10.00 and Children’s admission is $ 5.00)
I arrived just in time for the 10:00AM public tour and I have to say, I really enjoyed it. Our guide took the time to explain not only the details of every gibbon genera, but told us the story of how each family became residents of the center.
At the end of the tour, we all sang «Happy Birthday» to one of the gibbons, Puji (I hope I’m spelling her name correctly) who, without hesitation, responded by showing us how it’s done!
Then, every other gibbon family began singing, too! It was the most amazing sound I’ve ever experienced. Imagine being enveloped in the singing sounds of over five beautiful species of gibbons! (My favorite gibbon to watch was the Siamangs. Their gular sac, throat pouch, inflate when they vocalize.)
You can tell that the small staff there do their best to care for these rescued gibbons. They deliver food to the cages at the top of every hour during the day. Their work is truly inspiring. I drove over 40 miles to visit the Gibbon Conservation Center on a warm Saturday morning and it was well worth it!

I did not wake up expecting such an amazing experience today! The center is regularly open to the public every Saturday and Sunday — but only for a few hours — so plan accordingly. Don’t put it off because it’s too far, too hot or too anything — I promise you will not regret it! Take your mom, your wife, your kids, your grandparents, your friends — everyone! Also, although the grounds are made of dirt and gravel, those in wheelchairs can still navigate it.
The gibbons are endangered and the people working here are full of heart and hard work. You can see the relationship they have formed with the gibbons. The gibbons are extremely alert, playful and inspiring. I was prompted to come here due to an anthropology class and it was an amazing experience to have read about gibbons and to actually see them in action. Most are in pairs or families within the caged units. You are truly up close and personal with their cages only 2 – 3 feet away from your viewing area.
Make sure to take the free tour at 10am. Ours was lead by Gabrielle and she was an excellent tour guide and biologist who has been with the center since 2005. She informed us that the center works with other organizations and zoos to breed and eventually reintroduce the gibbons back into the wild.
Show your support to our genetic ancestors and visit them asap!

YES. Dirt road. Gibbons. Who sing. At 11am. Every morning. Perfect? Or perfect?!?
I had to come here for extra credit for my class and I am so lucky I did! The gibbons were so entertaining.
I got my ticket from Amazon local, which was… wait for it… $ 6! Steal this offer and spend your Saturday watching Gibbons!
You can also buy it at the location, which I believe is $ 12 but all proceedings are donations and goes to the conservation and care for the wonderful primates.
Definitely make it to the tour. I took a student tour. It was interesting to learn about the beautiful primates, even though I was already aware of their awesomeness in my Anthropology class!
Even if you’re not here for a class, I would still recommend going. It’s a good experience! Plus, these poor babies are endangered. I would try seeing them before they’re extinct.

I’ll start off by saying all the Gibbons are in cages. It is heartbreaking to see them locked up and not out in the wild. Yet, all these Gibbons have been rescued by the illegal and terrible pet trade so this is so much better than being a pet in someone’s home. They do the best they can for the animals here and the place needs our support. A great family day and even the drive out there is beautiful. Bring your own snacks as they don’t have anything in terms of concessions but I recommend everyone visit at least once.

the GIBBONS!
We had been talking about visiting this place for sometime and finally made it out this past weekend. The conservation center was a great place to visit and it seemed that the gibbon habitats were well maintained.
— Parking: Lots of parking… dirt road leading up to the center
— Entrance: $ 15 per adult
— Shoes: Dip your shoes in the bucket of water to help keep the bacteria out (Gibbons are very susceptible to human illnesses — the center also recommends that you do not visit when you are sick)
— Tour Guide: We started out following the tour, but quickly broke away to explore on our own… the center is quite small, so you can definitely hear the tour and some facts even though you’re not following right along with the group.
It took about an hour with lots of stopping and observing the gibbons to get through the whole center without the group.

My co-​worker volunteers here on the weekends and has always talked about it so I figured I would take my boyfriend to check it out. It was definitely a fun experience! The grounds were big and the Gibbons were more active than we expected. They’re only open between 9am and Noon with tours at 10am that you can pop in and out of if you feel like wandering on your own. We spent a good hour watching all the Gibbons playing, eating and swinging around. There’s plenty of benches to sit and relax while you observe too. Groupon always has a two person deal so jump on it, but remember all the money goes towards the conservation!
*When the Gibbons start singing, it’s stirs up a lot of exciting commotion. Best part of the day :)

This place is beyond amazing! Past a dirt road somewhere in Santa Clarita is a ape lovers paradise. The 10 a.m. tour is definitely a must! Super informative and all your questions will be answered. There are currently five different gibbon species at the center. So many gibbon families to see of a variety of ages. Stick around long enough to hear the apes sing. It’s such a magical and unique experience.

This hidden gem is tucked in the foothills of Santa Clarita. Upon driving to the center, I thought my GPS was broken, leading me onto a dirt/​gravel path with signage that is easily missed. Hint: Look for the small blue street sign that says Esguerra Rd. with the word Private right underneath it. Follow the dirt/​gravel path as it leads to the unpaved parking lot and entrance. Free parking.
Upon entering, you’ll need to dip the bottom of your shoe in the pan of water to make sure you don’t bring any bacteria/​etc to the facility. Don’t worry, there’ll be a staff member to guide you through the process.
Many people seem to have a LivingSocial/​Groupon deal, the staff member will scan the voucher or pay the entrance fee ($ 10 for adults), then you’re good to go!
They’re only open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30am to 12pm. One tour at day at 10am. Don’t worry if you arrive a little late, you can still jump on the tour (I was one of the late ones.) The center isn’t that big, I’m confident that you can walk through in less than 30 minutes on your own, which is why I really think the tour is worth joining.
The tour guide was beyond awesome, her thoroughness, excitement, enthusiasm, and genuineness really enforced a positive experience. Upon arrival, I was able to hear the gibbons «sing.»
The gift shop shares a space with the ticket booth. Not too many items for sale, but some of the stuffed animals are super cute, a few t-​shirts, and trinkets.
I would totally come back again and support this great conversation center!

Amazing center for those who are interested at all in the most acrobatic, arboreal, agile apes on the planet. I wasn’t aware there were so many different species of Gibbons. There are four genera spaning from Myanmar to Indonesia, and their distribution was as far north as southern China, but human overpopulation there decimated the gibbon population due to habitat change.
Before you are allowed to enter the area, where there are cages housing the gibbons, you are asked to dip your shoes into liquid disinfectant about ½ inch deep. Warning: If wearing sandals, you will get your feet wet which is ok if it is a warm day.
Gibbons are like people at the now typical, popular Los Angeles restaurants where loud noise and shouting conversations are the most widely known characteristic. Well, going to the Gibbbon Conservation Center is like going to Bottega Louis, Son of a Gun, Animal, etc. except that the Gibbons are probably better behaved.
At the center, we were «serenaded» by different groups of gibbons in different cages. The hooting & hollering reminded me of going to a high school football game when spectators who support the two different teams are sitting on opposite sides of the stadium. Each side attempts to out shout the supporters of the opposite team. So there is a back & forth shouting match. When we first got there, all was quiet, but all hell broke loose about an hour into our stay. I assume the shouting match is to establish territory and to warn others to stay away.
It was so funny experiencing the behavior of Gibbons, which when you get down to it, isn’t so different from humans in terms of behavior & motivation. We may have diverged evolutionarily from the Gibbons approximately 15 million years ago, but it seems that similarity of hominoid behavior shows that the fruit doesn’t fall far from the evolutionary tree.
Enjoy observing & experiencing our hominoid cousins. Just be glad they haven’t figured out how to make guns yet. It shows you just how scary we humans are, the most dangerous hominid of them all.
PS Arrange for a docent tour of the Gibbon compound for a far more informative and interesting visit. Otherwise, they hand you a laminated sheet of paper that shows a map of where the cages are located and the associated species of gibbon within.

This place is amazing! :)
I love going to zoos and I love doing anything with animals! So I was excited to go and see the gibbons this past Sunday!
First off, this place is only open to the public on Saturday and Sunday and then only from 9:30 am to noon… (which is early for me!) and there is a tour at 10:00. although you can definitely wander around and look at all the enclosures on your own. However, I highly recommend the tour… in fact I think it’s pretty necessary!
When you first get there, there is a little pan with water and disinfectant for your shoes. Apparently the gibbons are really susceptible to disease and they want to keep that at a minimum.
You are then given a little laminated map of the enclosures and then the corresponding numbers with the names of the gibbons, their birthdays and a tiny bit about them. Hence, why I said the tour is so necessary. You can’t really learn much from the little map and the tour is so informative and really gives you more insight into their personalities and the goings on there.
After the tour, we proceeded to watch the littlest one of them all, Goliath, who was roughly about a year old. He was apparently hand raised by the center and was just adapting to being outside. He was so tiny and cute and had this little blankie and would clean off his feet since he didn’t like getting them dirty! (Too cute and reminds me of my pup at home!)
All in all, it’s a really interesting place and as someone else mentioned one of the few places you can see so many gibbons.