PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s first-ever gibbon baby has been welcomed by a local gibbon conservation society at its conservation centre in Pahang, marking a significant win for local conservation efforts.
The Gibbon Conservation Society (GCS) expressed that the birth of the baby, named Axel, is an important milestone for gibbon conservation both locally and globally.
“Statistics have shown that more than 90% of wildlife released without proper rehabilitation will die in the wild. This makes Ebony, Coley and Axel’s success even more crucial,” the non-profit organization stated on Monday (July 31).
The GCS also highlighted the significance of Axel’s birth, considering that gibbon rehabilitation can take anywhere from five to 15 years. To increase their chances of survival upon release, gibbons must be released as a family unit, including a father, mother, and baby.
The conservation group shed light on the challenging journey Axel’s parents had to endure as victims of illegal wildlife trade.
“Axel’s parents – Ebony (mother) and Coley (father) – were themselves infants when they were rescued from rampant illegal wildlife trade. Poachers would have had to kill their parents and siblings to capture the newborns,” the organization revealed.
GCS founder Mariani Ramli, who initially funded the project with her own savings, expressed her happiness in playing a part in saving the lives of these two unfortunate gibbons.
“Ebony and Coley have faced long and difficult journeys since their families were killed when they were just babies,” she said. “But now, seeing them form a new family is the most amazing and fulfilling thing. I am so grateful that we (GCS) have been able to support them on this journey.”
The non-profit conservation group plans to closely monitor the new family of three over the next six months to ensure their ability to function as a proper family unit. If all goes well, they are expected to be released back into the wild in early 2024.
Gibbons are highly endangered due to habitat loss, hunting for traditional medicines, and the illegal pet trade.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
