One of the longest-term residents at the Racine Zoo, a gibbon, has died

From JSOnline:

Amy Schwabe

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

One of the Racine Zoo's longest-term residents — Yule, a male white-handed gibbon — has died.

According to a news release from the zoo, Yule and his daughter, Robin, first arrived at the Racine Zoo in 1986. Yule was 58 years old when he died, much older than the species' typical life expectancy of approximately 30 years. He was the oldest living white-handed gibbon in a zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums by at least two years and holds the records for oldest gibbon in the association's records.

Due to his advanced age, Yule was monitored closely by the zoo's veterinary and animal care staff. A "slow, normal decline" had been evident, but this summer, Yule began to have difficulty using his right hand and leg, the release noted. As his condition was untreatable, staff decided to humanely euthanize Yule on Oct. 22.

Yule was well known in the neighborhoods around the zoo, according to the release, due to his loud vocalizations, which were studied by local Carthage College researchers. They "found that while playing with his daughter, Yule used a unique 'bleat' sort of play vocalization — one typically only heard from infant gibbons." His "sweet, nurturing" relationship with his daughter earned him the moniker "Papa Yule" among his keepers.

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/2024/10/29/racine-zoos-longest-term-resident-a-gibbon-yule-dies/75913362007/