YouTubers Come Together to Help Endangered Apes in Los Angeles

video by Todd Bieber

While he was in Los Angeles for a YouTube conference, Brooklyn-based documentarian and comedian Todd Bieber went to visit the Gibbon Conservation Center in Santa Clarita, CA and decided to film what he saw. While at the Conservation Center, Todd learned that gibbons, small apes resembling monkeys, are on the verge of extinction due to the loss of their native habitat.

Gibbons are one of the few serial monogamous primates, and whether on the ground or in the trees, they are known for their dexterity and ability to walk upright. Often referred to as the “songbirds” of the primate family and the most musical land mammal, gibbons can project their voices up to 2 miles through the dense rain forest canopy. Unfortunately, their natural habitat is being destroyed at the alarming rate of 32 acres per minute! This destruction means the disappearance of their melodious songs as well.

When Todd went back to the conference, he told people what he learned and a lot of people expressed interest in spreading the word about the gibbons. On a later trip to Los Angeles, Todd and others with YouTube channels returned to the Conservation Center to get the message out about the gibbons to their viewers.