HELLO EXPERTS
Welcome to your shiny new site. We’ve updated the resources and downloads section so it’s easily searchable. On this page, you can see our mission statement, our achievements, and our plans for the future.
We’re here to help you help gibbons.
Our main functions are aiding communication between gibbon experts worldwide, providing digital resources and practical help to conservation and education projects, and helping fellow gibbonologists get their work funded.
We want your hard work and expertise to have the greatest possible impact. So if you need anything from us, or have any suggestions, let us know!
Key content areas
MISSION FOR THE SECTION ON SMALL APES
Strengthen coordination among gibbon conservation projects worldwide
Increase awareness of scientifically-sound practice in gibbon conservation
Provide IUCN-endorsed guidelines to conservationists, field scientists and decision makers
Develop Conservation Action Plans that clarify priorities in gibbon conservation for practitioners, decision makers and donors
Ensure the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as a decision tool is thorough and up-to-date
Provide direct technical support to implementing projects engaged with gibbon conservation
COLLABORATION BREAKTHROUGH
In April 2018, we contributed to an historic event in China: the first ever gibbon meeting in a habitat country to bring together protected area managers, zoos, NGOs and universities under one roof. Over a hundred participants from China, India and the UK came together for a two-day workshop to collaborate for gibbon conservation.
There were sixteen talks and three discussion groups, covering captive management and wild conservation. The workshop exposed local students, NGOs and reserve area managers to global ideas about gibbon conservation, and Chinese conservationists were able to coordinate their work and share their problems, ideas and solutions.
We intend for this to be the first of many such inclusive, productive and hopeful meetings in gibbon habitat countries.
ACHIEVEMENTS 2011-2018
- Held a Technical Skills Meeting for Gibbon Conservation in China
- Investigated online trade in gibbons and siamang in habitat countries and produced a preliminary report
- Designated 2015 as the IUCN Year of the Gibbon
- Raised money for the Save the Gibbon Grants: Conservation Grant and Emergency Grant
- Formed the Conservation Action Plan for the Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) in Karbi Anglong, India
- Produced a final report for the International Conservation Planning Workshop for the Hainan Gibbon
- Formed the Hainan Gibbon Emergency Response Plan
- Published our free Best Practice Guidelines for Gibbon Rehabilitation, Reintroduction and Translocation, with summaries in five languages
- Run Action Planning Workshops for the critically endangered Cao Vit gibbon (Nomascus nasutus)
- Produced a media pack for International Gibbon Day (24th October)
- Published best practice guidelines for eco-tourism
- Published SSA official statements on responsible palm oil, supporting FSC products and our position on zoos
- Increased awareness of gibbon and siamang conservation needs across social media
- Identified actions to tackle emerging diseases in wild and captive gibbons and siamang
- Formed the following SSA Working Groups:
- Executive Committee established: 11 SSA members representing 6 gibbon range states
- Captive Working Group to drive forward collaborations between wild and zoo gibbon conservation: 9 SSA members representing 4 gibbon range states
- Vet and Disease Working Group to tackle emerging diseases in both wild and captive populations and to share veterinary knowledge across species: 7 SSA members representing 3 gibbon range states
- Funding Working Group to help identify and target sources of funds and projects in need: 6 SSA members representing 2 gibbon range states
- A communications team to help the vice-chair gather and disseminate stories about gibbons across social media
2018 PLANS
- Publish Best Practice Guidelines on Surveying and Monitoring Gibbons (and associated free software)
- Update the IUCN Red List assessments for all twenty gibbon species
- Attend/Organise the Gibbon Conservation Symposium at IPS Nairobi
- Run our Conservation Journalism Workshop – to train NGOs in effectively using social media and engaging with journalists
- Run our investigation into the sale of gibbons through social media
- Link gibbon vets to the Orangutan Veterinary Advisory Group through collaboration at a meeting in Aceh, Indonesia in July 2018
FUTURE PLANS (2019 AND BEYOND)
- Hold the third International Gibbon Husbandry and Conservation Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, in the second half of 2019
- Repeat our Conservation Journalism Workshop to train more NGOs
- Generate accurate maps of gibbon ranges
- Collaborate further with OVAG (Orangutan Veterinary Advisory Group) to bring more gibbon vets together
- Publish a series of infographics to help projects with their outreach