Name: Scrappy (it fits!)
Sex: Male
Born: 1974 (estimated)
Favorite food: All kinds of fruit, like mangos, grapes, and honeydew.
Favorite activity: Getting attention from female humans.

Scrappy and his mate Uma were brought to IPPL in March 2007 from a sanctuary in Texas that was experiencing difficulties. They had arrived at their previous sanctuary home from the Glen Oak Zoo in Peoria, Illinois, in 1993, after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requested that they be moved to a new location. He came to us as “Baba” but was quickly re-named Scrappy by a volunteer who helped transport him and his gibbon companions to IPPL—after he pulled her hair; the new name has stuck!

He is a lanky gibbon with discolored teeth, perhaps from a bad diet as a youngster, so he and gorgeous Uma make something of an odd couple. Scrappy can be rather temperamental, so you have to watch his moods carefully, but if he’s feeling sweet, he enjoys attention from human females. In fact, if he’s feeling sociable, he’ll give his special “happy to see you” squeal if he sees a favorite person approaching to give him a back scratch. He also loves the summertime, because then he gets to stroke bare legs and toes. These little mutual admiration sessions can drive Uma crazy-jealous!

Just watch out that he doesn’t change his mind, because he can turn grabby, and the hem of your jacket is certainly fair game (so watch his hands!). If he’s especially grumpy, he might even untie your shoe laces.