Protect the Northern Yellow-cheeked Gibbons

The Northern Yellow-cheeked Gibbon is a primate native to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Identified only in 2010, knowledge about this species is very limited. The Northern Yellow-cheeked Gibbon is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with an estimated population of only 800 individuals in Vietnam. Agriculture, logging, and road construction are destroying its habitat. This tree-dwelling ape is known for its extraordinary agility and is unfortunately also coveted for its meat, traditional medicine, and the illegal pet trade.

In Pairi Daiza, a family of Yellow-cheeked Gibbons resides (a species distinct from the Northern Yellow-cheeked Gibbon but morphologically very similar): Benjamin (the male), Okki (the female), and their offspring, Eko and Hawan.

 

42,000 hectares rich in biodiversity

The Pairi Daiza Foundation is participating in a program for the protection of the Northern Yellow-cheeked Gibbon in its natural habitat, within the Kon Ka Kinh National Park, a forest reserve of 42,000 hectares located in central Vietnam. This reserve hosts a highly diverse biodiversity: no fewer than 42 species of mammals, 160 species of birds, and 51 species of reptiles live here. Led by Stiftung Artenschutz (Germany), Zoologische Gesellschaft Frankfurt (Germany), and Greenviêt (Vietnam), the project has three main goals. Firstly, it aims to develop knowledge about the species, which is an essential prerequisite for optimizing conservation efforts. Secondly, monitoring of animals and their habitat is strengthened. Control patrols help improve hunting control, among other things. Lastly, awareness campaigns are conducted in schools to raise awareness among the local population from a young age.