On September 5, the reporter learned from the joint press conference of Haikou, China and Marseille, France, that the Hainan gibbon xitian added 2 baby apes, and the population recovered to 5 groups of 35. At present, the 2 newborn baby apes have not yet been named, and Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park will collect their names from the whole society through the official website.
In March this year, the Hainan Gibbon Monitoring Team of the Bawangling Branch of the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park Administration found that a baby ape was added to the B group and D group of Hainan gibbons, which were 7 months old and 6 months old, respectively, and continuous monitoring showed that the two baby apes were in good health and had normal growth and development.
On August 23, the Hainan Provincial Forestry Bureau held an expert appraisal meeting, the participating experts listened to the report and reviewed the relevant video and photo materials, and after questioning and discussion, unanimously agreed that the birth evidence of the two baby apes was conclusive, and it was recommended to disclose it to the public in a timely manner.
Gibbons are close relatives of humans and one of the most endangered primate populations, with a total of 20 species, of which 5 are critically endangered, 14 are endangered and 1 is vulnerable. The Hainan gibbon is the most endangered of all gibbons, with only about 30 remaining, making it the rarest primate in the world.
At the Hainan National Park Research Institute's August 2020 International Conference on the Conservation of The Hainan Gibbon, experts set an ambitious goal of doubling the Hainan gibbon population in 15 years. The birth of the two baby apes has made all sectors of society full of confidence in the realization of this goal.
Zhang Xinsheng, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), said: "The continuous discovery and publication of new baby apes in Hainan gibbons shows that conservation based on science and respect for the laws of nature is steadily moving towards a healthy track. ”
(Guangming Daily all-media reporter Wang Xiaoying chen yi)
Source: Guangming Daily all-media reporter Wang Xiaoying Chen Yi
Photo: Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park Administration