Gibbon Conservation Center officials are planning to leave Santa Clarita after 40 years, and have launched a “Relocation Fund” to help them find a new space to continue their mission.

A combination of things prompted the need for the nonprofit’s move, ranging from finances and development in the area to zoning and climate changes, according to Director Gabriella Skollar.

“The clock is ticking on our ability to stay at our current rented location in Santa Clarita,” Skollar said in a statement on the Relocation Fund page. “Please help us find a new, safe home for this rare population of gibbons.”

The Gibbon Conservation Center’s financial difficulties began in 2011, when its founder, Alan Mootnick, died and center officials lost ownership of the land.

Though it had always been Mootnick’s goal to find a “more suitable” property to house the gibbons, and he had been actively looking until the time of his death, center officials noted this dream had to be put on hold as they simply “fought for survival.”

“With our dedicated staff, volunteers, board members and donors, we made miracles happen,” Skollar said, noting that through community and grant support, center officials were able to improve their enclosures, develop an educational program, open their doors for visitors on weekends and more.

In an effort to alleviate the “financial burden” of paying rent on their property, Gibbon Conservation Center staff began negotiations earlier this year to buy the 5-acre property the center currently sits on, but were unsuccessful.

“We are currently at an impasse with the landlord, and we do not foresee an ability to remain at this location much longer,” Skollar said.

Another factor contributing to the need to move is a combination of recent changes in the area, including increased development and stricter county zoning regulations.

“The open land that at one time provided the GCC with an ample buffer is slowly disappearing,” Skollar said. “The next planned housing development will extend right up to our property line, with high-density housing not more than 500 feet from the gibbons, who are highly susceptible to increased dust and noise.”

Skollar continued that the Gibbon Conservation Center’s permits were recently renewed under the condition that the facility does not expand in the future, and the property’s zoning was changed so that center officials’ plans for the addition of an on-site hospital, library, classroom and housing area will likely be impossible, according to Skollar.

Lastly, Skollar noted that center staff have relied on a misting system to keep the gibbons’ enclosures cool during heat waves, but that the combination of increased temperatures and the possibility of another drought could put the gibbons’ health at risk.

“Santa Clarita’s climate is becoming less suitable for housing the gibbons,” Skollar said. “Our high-pressure misting system can cool their enclosures, but to do so, we must have water in our well. During the most recent drought, wells in the Bouquet Canyon area were running dry. We were fortunate then that our well had enough water. We may not be as lucky next time.”

Gibbon Conservation Center officials are currently looking at land in San Diego, Santa Barbara and Sonoma Counties, and are calling on the community to help them raise the estimated $1 million needed to make the relocation a reality.

As of Thursday afternoon, center officials had raised about $9,700 through the Relocation Fund.

“The Gibbon Center’s survival depends on moving to a better location as soon as we are able to do so,” Skollar said. “We desperately need your help to make this possible. Any donation will bring us closer to our goal of acquiring a permanent home for the GCC.”

Skollar continued, “Besides financial support, you can also help by promoting our fundraising campaign and sharing it with others so we can reach more people. Together we can work to secure the Gibbon Conservation Center’s future, create a safe habitat for the gibbons and build a facility that will serve the gibbons and the conservation community for years to come.”

For more information about the Gibbon Conservation Center, click here. To donate to the Relocation Fund, click here. Watch a video from June 2019 on the Gibbon Conservation Center below:

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