[貼圖] Hundreds of Rare Gibbons Found in Vietnam

本帖最後由 dxb 於 2011-7-23 06:26 AM 編輯

Family Time
A male northern white-cheeked gibbon (left) and a mother carrying her baby hang out in a treetop in Vietnam's Pu Mat National Park in a recent picture.

The  animals are part of a newfound population of more than 400 of the  gibbons, which are deemed critically endangered in Vietnam and Laos by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The gibbons, which have declined due to widespread hunting and logging of their habitat, are likely extinct in China.
Conservation International had been searching for the rare primates since 2008, finding only a few  scattered groups—until now. New auditory sampling surveys—during which  researchers record the calls of gibbon "families"—have revealed that Pu  Mat is home to 130 gibbon groups, for an overall population of roughly  455 individuals.

The  discovery of such a large gibbon population may mean the species has a  better chance of long-term survival, the scientists say.

Hanging Around
Lone  male gibbons—like the one pictured—make solo calls as they roam widely  in search of a mate. The male's song is one of two types of calls  recorded by researchers working in Pu Mat National Park, primatologist  Luu Tuong Bach said via email.

The  other call type is a duet between the male and female, sung once  they've settled into a lifelong, monogamous bond, according to Luu, a  Conservational International consultant who led the field surveys in  Vietnam.

"The  northern white-cheeked gibbon is a highly territorial species, so if  they mate together to make a family and you hear them this morning, the  next day you may hear them in the same area, or very close," Luu said.

Lousy Job
Gibbons are among the 6 percent of primates that mate for life (pictured, a female gibbon grooms a male).
The  new northern white-cheeked gibbon population in Pu Mat was found in  dense, high-altitude forests far from human settlements. But new roads  through the region are being planned to increase border patrols between  Vietnam and Laos—which may also increase access for poachers or loggers.

Luu  said poachers typically hunt the animals for food or shoot mother  gibbons to capture the infants to be sold as pets. The animals' body  parts may also be used in traditional medicines, according to IUCN.

Treetop Acrobat
Northern  white-cheeked gibbons have specialized wrist joints and powerful arm  muscles, which allow them to swing from tree branches, like the male  pictured above in Pu Mat. The primates eat fruit, leaves, and insects  and rarely descend to the ground.

While  the newly discovered group—if properly protected—is enough to ensure  the long-term survival of the species, gun control is also vital, Luu  said.
"Without direct protection in Pu Mat National Park, it is likely that Vietnam will lose this species in the near future."

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