International Gibbon Day: Spotlighting the overlooked, underprotected ‘lesser apes’

Mongabay
Mongabay
2M ago
48 views
On International Gibbon Day, awareness is raised about gibbons, the lesser-known endangered primates, emphasizing their ecological importance and the threats they face from habitat loss and wildlife trafficking.
International Gibbon Day: Spotlighting the overlooked, underprotected ‘lesser apes’
A What happened
International Gibbon Day brings attention to gibbons, often overshadowed by their great ape relatives. These arboreal primates, residing in the tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia, play a vital role in their ecosystems as seed dispersers. However, they face severe threats, with five of the twenty known species critically endangered and fourteen listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. The illegal wildlife trade exacerbates their decline, as gibbons are increasingly sought after as pets. Conservation efforts, such as those by local NGOs in Indonesia, aim to restore habitats and increase gibbon populations. Recent sightings of rare species like the Cao-vit gibbon highlight the urgency of these initiatives, as their survival is precarious due to low birth rates and habitat fragmentation.

Key insights

  • 1

    Gibbons as seed dispersers: Gibbons play a crucial role in maintaining forest ecosystems by dispersing seeds.

  • 2

    Rising gibbon trafficking: The demand for gibbons as pets has led to increased trafficking and population decline.

  • 3

    Conservation success stories: Local efforts in Indonesia have successfully increased the Javan gibbon population.

Takeaways

International Gibbon Day serves as a reminder of the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect gibbons and their habitats, highlighting both the challenges they face and the successes of ongoing initiatives.

Topics

Climate & Environment Wildlife Conservation