Introducing the Jungle Jedi
By Carolyn Thompson
Gibbons are the smallest of the apes known for their territorial songs, coordinated duets, acrobatic locomotion, and small family group sizes.
They are the ‘king of the swingers’ and highly adapted to life in the trees. Their ‘hook-like’ hands enables them to suspend and hang for extended periods of time, and their long arms are used to acrobatically swing from branch to branch; a unique form of locomotion known as brachiation.
They are extremely quick and can reach speeds of 55 km/h (34 mph), clearing distances of up to 12 metres with one swing!
Female Skywalker hoolock gibbon demonstrating her “hook-like” hands in Yunnan province, China. Photo credit: Keaghan Yaxley.
Sadly, of the 20 gibbon species, 19 are on the brink of extinction. Although gibbons once flourished across Asia, they are now confined to isolated forest fragments in the southeastern and eastern part of this continent.
Infographic showing the distribution of the four genera of gibbons. Credit: IUCN SSA.
Discovered in 2017, the Skywalker hoolock gibbon (Hoolock tianxing) is one of the rarest gibbon species with a global population of less than 150 individuals.
Found straddling the border between southwest China and northern Myanmar, the population is highly threatened with illegal hunting, wildlife trade and consumption, and habitat loss.
Skywalker hoolock gibbons are found in the Gaoligong mountain range on the border between China and Myanmar. Photo credit: Fan Peng-Fei.
To date, the population is only known on the Chinese side of the border in Yunnan province, but experts believe more Skywalker gibbons could exist in Myanmar. Opportunities to conduct population surveys, however, have been rare.
To ensure a species’ survival, collaborations between various stakeholders (e.g. local to national governments, non-governmental organisations, research scientists, local communities etc.) are key.
Through generous support from the Arcus Foundation and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Section on Small Apes, a transboundary Skywalker gibbon conservation committee was established in 2019. Members of the committee include Burmese and international organisations, institutions, and individuals.
This collaborative project aims to update the Skywalker gibbon IUCN Red List status with population data from Myanmar, conduct habitat viability assessments in potential Skywalker gibbon habitat, and build capacity for Myanmar’s next generation of primate scientists.
Over the coming months, we will be introducing members of the team, the true jungle Jedi who are working on the forefront to save the Skywalker gibbon from extinction.