Keyword

Search

• FFI in the U.S.:
• FFl in Australia.:
• contact us:
• .
• .
• .
• .
• 

• Print this page
• Send to a friend
• Share on Facebook
• Subscribe to our RSS feeds


FFI is also on:
• YouTube
• Twitter
• Facebook

 

Gibbons

Gibbons are small, tree-dwelling apes which inhabit tropical and subtropical rainforests in Asia. As apes, they are very closely related to humans.They have incredible agility in the forest tree tops and move by brachial locomotion. In the wild they defend their territory by performing vocal displays (mainly duets) which carry for very long distances. All gibbons are endangered with the main threat coming from habitat loss, as well as hunting.

In Vietnam and China, FFI is working on the conservation of two gibbon species: the eastern black crested gibbon and the western black crested gibbon.

 

The eastern black crested gibbon

The eastern black crested gibbon is the rarest and most Critically Endangered species of ape on the planet. There are only two known populations: the cao vit gibbon Nomascus nasutus in an area of forest on the China-Vietnam border and the Hainan gibbon Nomascus hainanus on Hainan Island in China. Both are now considered seperate species. Recent surveys have recorded about 110 cao vit gibbons left in the wild. The situation for the Hainan gibbons is much more critical with only two family groups of 17 individuals.

FFI is working across both sides of the China-Vietnam border to protect the cao vit gibbon. The main threat to the gibbons is habitat destruction, so to reduce fuel-wood extraction FFI has promoted fuel-efficient stoves in local villages and provided some household biogas plants. In addition, a local tree species is being cultivated in plantations as a fuel-wood substitute. The project also works with local villages to control livestock grazing and reduce their impact on the forest.

FFI has established and continues to support Vietnamese and Chinese community patrol groups which patrol the the gibbon’s habitat, supervised by government forestry officials. This patrol group also carries out awareness raising activities among the local communities.

Amazing footage of the cao vit gibbons acrobatics and recordings of their mesmerising song.

In 2007, the Cao Vit Gibbon Conservation Area was established in Vietnam to strengthen protection for this species, and FFI is now supporting the government of Guangxi Province in China to establish an adjoining nature reserve.

FFI has also been supporting conservation of the Hainan gibbon through awareness raising in local schools and beyond.

Download the cao vit gibbon conservation project profile.

The western black crested gibbon

The western black crested gibbon Nomascus concolor is one of the most threatened primates in the world and is Critically Endangered. Surveys performed by FFI have found there to be only around 79 of these gibbons left in Vietnam.

The most significant threat to the western black crested gibbon comes from hunting, although habitat degradation from logging, agricultural encroachment and forest grazing is also a problem. To protect against such threats, FFI supports community patrol groups which protect the gibbon’s habitat and monitor the population.

Cattle fodder trials have been carried out by FFI to reduce the need for forest grazing, along with other sustainable development projects to help find alternative livelihoods for the local people in order to reduce their impact on the forest.

FFI also helps to raise awareness about the gibbon through an environmental education programme in local schools.

Southern white-cheeked crested gibbons

FFI’s Vietnam Primate Programme team conducted a census of southern white-cheeked crested gibbons in partnership with Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in February 2009. To download the full census findings in PDF format click here.

Gibbons in Lao PDR

FFI is working on assessing the status of the six gibbon species in Lao PDR, all of which are listed as either Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. To download the latest review in PDF format click here.