A Sad Farwell to Our Sweet, Social Palu-Palu

Palu-Palu was wild caught, smuggled to Hawaii, and then purchased to be another pet of Sam Pryor. This former vice-president of Pan America airlines, kept a number of gibbons as pets. Pryor had asked IPPL to take all of his gibbons upon his death but unfortunately, he didn’t put his wishes down in writing. When he died, his gibbons were split up and sent to multiple zoos. Palu was sent to the Maui Zoo and paired with Jade. In 1996 the zoo was shut down and Palu, Jade, and their son, Maui came to IPPL. Palu-Palu adjusted to life at IPPL quickly and appointed himself as the “manager” of our office staff. His aerial runway was alongside the windows of IPPL’s office where he would keep a watchful eye on everyone. He was a big attraction at IPPL’s biennial conferences. Palu would lie in wait for the perfect moment when visitors would walk by. Then he would shake the biggest branch he could reach to make sure they would notice him. Palu loved the rain and would often be seen under a canopy in his aerial runway as the rain came pouring down!

Born on January 20, 1985, Palu-Palu passed away unexpectedly overnight on October 18, 2022. Palu and Jade were one of our most loving couples: they were regularly seen laying down together and playing footsies. This special gibbon couple was together for over thirty years.

We will remember Palu for his affection for Jade, his mischievous interactions with caregivers, and his permanent look of wide-eyed wonder. Although heartbroken, we are so grateful to have been a part of this sweet gibbon’s life for many years.

                                                                                            Happy Memories of Palu-Palu