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 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.