August 24, 2021 – Imagine coming to the zoo and visiting an animal YOU named. This dream can become a reality with the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo.
On August 24 of last year, the first blonde, white-handed baby gibbon was born at the zoo to parents Cajun and Eddie. Over the past year, visitors, zookeepers and staff have watched him grow and his personality flourish.
As we celebrate his first birthday, we need your help giving him a name! The SF Teaching Zoo will be holding an online auction from Aug. 24, 2021, at 9 a.m. to Sept. 10, 2021, at 9 p.m. The highest bidder at the conclusion of the auction will be able to submit name recommendations for the baby gibbon. The winner will also receive a gift package, including four tickets to the zoo, a gibbon painting and an item from the gift shop.
All funds raised will directly support providing high quality care to our animals, improvements to primate enclosures, and education and conservation efforts to ensure a future for wildlife. It costs around $2000 to feed our gibbon family for the year, $2500 to support their medical care by our vets at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine, and $1500 for habitat maintenance and enrichment.
As the baby gibbon learns to become more autonomous, he is spending more time wrestling with his brothers, Gibson and Holmes, and learning how to brachiate through the gibbon forest. His favorite foods are bananas, grapes and melon. Zookeepers describe him as very curious about his family members and surroundings, and independent, while still always keeping mom in sight.
If you’d like to see his personality firsthand before placing a bid you may visit the zoo daily, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. No appointments are necessary. Although the SF Teaching Zoo is open for guests to walk around the zoo on their own, guided tours can be scheduled in advance.
Any questions can be directed to zoo@sfcollege.edu.
About the Auction:
Bidders can access the auction site here: www.32auctions.com/SFTZGibbon2021
Auction Dates: Aug. 24, 2021, at 9 a.m. to Sept. 10, 2021, at 9 p.m.
Minimum bid is $250.00, bids are available in $5 increments. Upon completion of the auction, the winner will be emailed a link to make payment through the Santa Fe College Foundation and not the auction site. If the highest bidder does not respond within seven (7) calendar days, the second highest bidder will receive the opportunity to donate and submit names.
Please note: SF Teaching Zoo staff reserves the right to refuse any name submitted and ask for additional suggestions.