Global Gibbon Network established in Hainan

A gibbon in Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park. [Photo/IC]

On Oct 24, the Global Gibbon Network was established at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Tropical Rainforest International Conversation Symposium, which was held in Haikou, capital of Hainan province.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Hainan National Park Research Institute, and others jointly launched the Global Gibbon Network Initiative on Dec 17, 2021 to promote the normalization of international cooperation and exchanges on the conservation of gibbon species, including the Hainan gibbon.

The Global Gibbon Network is the first gibbon conservation alliance initiated by China. There are 13 founding members, including the Hainan Institute of National Parks, the IUCN Small Ape Expert Group, Eco Foundation Global, the China Exploration and Research Society (Hong Kong), the Singapore Mandai Wildlife Reserve, the Malaysian Primatological Society, the Indonesia Nusantara Natural Ecosystem Conservation Foundation, the Mahidol University Ecological Civilization and Conservation Action Center in Thailand, as well as the Western Hoolock Gibbon Conservation Project in Bangladesh.

There are six species of gibbons in China, with the Hainan gibbon being endemic to Hainan. It is the flagship species of the Hainan tropical rainforest ecosystem and a Chinese national first-class protected animal. The only place in the world where the Hainan gibbon can be found is Bawangling, in Hainan's Tropical Rainforest National Park. In recent years, the Hainan gibbon population has grown steadily, from two groups of seven to nine individuals in 1980 to five groups of 36 individuals in April 2022.