Oakland Zoo celebrates Mei the gibbon’s 15th birthday

OAKLAND, Calif. (CBS, KYMA) - The Oakland Zoo released footage of their gibbon Mei singing in honor of her 15th birthday Monday.

Footage released by the zoo, which is located in Oakland, California shows Mei vocalizing with her baby Joon.

As Smithsonian Magazine explains, gibbons communicate by singing, whether that be to define their territory, find a mate, or strengthen their bonds with other gibbons.

Mei was born in 2011 and came to the Oakland Zoo in the spring of 2019 to be partnered with another gibbon named Rainer, according to the zoo's website.