Asia – Page 3 – See Animals Wild

Gibbon – Black crested (including eastern and hainan)

Black crested gibbon

The black crested gibbon is a species found within China Laos and Northern Vietnam. Currently, there are 4 subspecies which are recognized:

Central Yunnan black crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor jingdongensis), Yunnan province, China
West Yunnan black crested gibbon (N. c. furvogaster), Yunnan province, China
Tonkin black crested gibbon (N. c. concolor), northern Vietnam
Laotian black crested gibbon (N. c. lu), Laos

Looking at fossils and other remains, it is thought that 1000 years ago, the range of this gibbon covered much of Southern China, up to the Yellow river. Perhaps more research is required, as if all these sub-species are this recent, then it may be worth treating them as one mega population and translocating gibbons between the populations so as to retain genetic health in the greater population. The total population is thought to number 1300-2000 (other estimates put the upper limit at 1500).

There are also two species of gibbon that were at once a considered subspecies of the black crested gibbon. While these are now considered separate species, there is still some debate about their classification, and as such, I am going to deal with these separate species within this page as well. These are the

Eastern black crested gibbon
Hainan black crested gibbon

Apart from their isolation, and the greater population being stuck in islands of forest, there also appears to be an issue with grey langurs out-competing the gibbons. Whether this is reducing their population or not is not yet known, but having a more varied diet, when times are hard the langurs are more likely to survive

This is not a species that I have written about, but if I do in the future, it will appear below. Furthermore, as we add destinations that are good for this species they will appear below the news

Gibbon – Agile gibbon (black handed gibbon) and the Bornean white bearded gibbon

Agile gibbon & the Borneon white cheeked gibbon

Agile gibbons are found in Indonesia on the island of Sumatra, Malaysia, and southern Thailand.

While not commonly recognized as having subspecies, some recognize a mountain and lowland version.

Accurate numbers of these gibbons in the wild are hard to find, but declines of 50% are thought to have occurred in the last 45 years, so this species is also classed as endangered.

While the Bornean white bearded gibbon is now considered a separate species, I will deal with it on the same page as they are similar. This species is considered endangered. Should news on this species grow, we will separate it out from other species.

While these animals are not great apes, they are lesser apes, and are very interesting to watch. There are likely to be a great draw in places where Orangutans do not exist, such as on mainland Asia, as well as in smaller reserves that cannot support Orangutans.

This is not a species that I have written about, but if I do in the future, it will appear below. Furthermore, as we add destinations that are good for this species they will appear below the new

Gibbon – grey (Mullers/Southern, Northern, Western(Abbots) and Eastern)

The Grey Gibbon (also known as Mullers/Southern, Northern, Western (abbots) and Eastern

The Grey (Mullers/Southern, Northern, Western(Abbots) and Eastern) gibbon is a species endemic to the island of Borneo. As you can see, it goes by a variety of names.

Thought, until recently to be a single species, alongside the Northern and the Southern grey, recent studies have demonstrated that they are distinct enough to be separated either as subspecies or species. However, we are going to deal with them together. It is true that along the border of their ranges, there have been occasions of breeding together -and while lions and tigers have interbred, this seems different. It is possible that in the future, I will separate them out.

Borneon grey gibbons are as a whole considered endangered, having suffered a greater than 50% decline in numbers in the last 45 years.

The rainforests of Borneo are thought to be 140 million years old yet humans have destroyed half of it in just 40 years. The biggest driver of this deforestation is the Palm oil industry, which has required land to grow its crops. Never-ending growth of the lands for this crop must end, though whether this end will be reached while Borneon forests still stand is anyones guess.

This is not a species that I have written about, but if I do in the future, it will appear below. Furthermore, as we add destinations that are good for this species they will appear below the news (do feel free to send news articles that you write to be included here)

Gibbon – Siamang

Siamong gibbons

Siamong gibbons live in the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. There are currently 2 recognized subspecies – one on the island of Sumatra, and the other in Malaysia. One place where the population is closely watched is in the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in Sumatra. Here the population was estimated to be around 22,390 individuals. This suggests that there could be hundreds of thousands of Siamang gibbon across its entire range

Estimates for the whole area are unknown, and so possible numbers vary wildly. Having said this, in 1980s an estimates of the entire population was thought to be 360,000. While it is likely to have reduced dramatically fallen in the last 40+ years, though even a 50% reduction leaves almost 200,000.

This is not a species that I have written about, but if I do in the future, it will appear below. Furthermore, as we add destinations that are good for this species they will appear below the news

September 11, 2023September 4, 2023

Is Cambodia expanding protected areas by over a million hectares?

The expansion of 1.06 million hectares, or 2.62 million acres of protected land is in theory fantastic news. Unfortunately Cambodia has not shown that it is the best in protecting its land set aside for wildlife anyway.

A biodiverse corridor alongside land being used

Analysis suggests that much of this gained land appears to have come from nearby Biodiverse corridors, and many of these corridors are lived in and extremely degraded. As such, while it is a great move, it is just a first step. Instead Cambodia needs to be paying to move alll villages out of these corridors.

We will have to see what happens in the future. However what must be held in mind, is that changing the designation of land does nothing if action does not fallow – for an example look at Indonesia, where many parks are rapidly being transformed into palm oil plantations.

September 9, 2023September 4, 2023

The worlds top sovereign fund is cutting ties with a dam which will likely lead to the extinction of the Tapanuli Orangutan

In most countries, if a dam was to cause so much destruction to the last habitat of a species, the dam would likely not get permission to be built.

It is true that the dam will only take about 20% of the land in question, directly. It will also split the population in half.

It is not surprising that the Norwegian sovereign fund has pulled out of this dam

Given that only around 800 Tapanuli Orangutans survive in the wild, the loss of just a handful is bad. A loss of 20% of the remaining population could quite rapidly push the population towards extinction, particularly as it will split the few remaining Orangutans into separate populations which cannot interbreed.

Norway has a huge sovereign fund, into which it pours the countries earnings from fossil fuel extraction. Perhaps recognizing that this has a shelf life which is not far from ending, Norway has made sure that for the most part its sovereign fund is good for the natural world (alongside giving good returns)

Generally rules on financing should have ruled this project out in the past, so it is good that this decision has been eventually made.

Will the dam still get built? We will have to wait and see.

July 20, 2023July 19, 2023

Positive news from Borneo – reconnecting wilderness

One of the problems with cutting down rainforest, it often what is left is so fragmented that it is useless for conservation. Remaining blocks of forest must allow a viable population of the rarest creatures, in order for the animals not to need to travel outside protected areas.

In Borneo, like in Sumatra, there has been a rapid loss of rainforest over the last few decades. Often it is claimed that enough is left behind in order to conserve the animals that live there.

Could this provide a way for wildlife and humans to thrive in close proximity?

In Borneo, while there is still a large quantity of wilderness, this is increasingly fragmented.

July 19, 2023July 19, 2023

Solitary male Orangutans peek on locals

Generally great apes are animals that live in community. Indeed, one of the reasons that great apes developed such large brains is as a result of their need in social situations. Great apes (along with lesser monkeys, dolphins, bears and wolves, with a few more) require a large brain to remember things about the many individuals that they socialize with, and how each has behaved, who is nice.

By following locals, they can work out what is eaten locally that may be very different from elsewhere

June 30, 2023June 23, 2023

China has cleaned up its grid, so why is it also making lots of coal power stations

China is planning 100 new coal PowerStation. Given their drive to reduce carbon emissions, and the fact that China manufactures many of the worlds solar panels, this seems to be a foolish step.

China is leaping into carbon neutral power, with around 1/3 green, up from just 28.8% in 2020.

A drought last year has apparently spooked the managers, as they didnt get as much hydropower as was expected.

What is the result? Perhaps China will want all these plants online by2030 when their emissions are supposed to peak, that way the issue is pushed back, with their net zero target of 2060.

Will it happen? I suspect if the Chinese people started to complain it might happen fast. Certainly, it is foolish, as it has already been clearly demonstrated that green electricity generation is cheaper than any fossil fuel creation.

June 21, 2023June 21, 2023

A haven for the critically endangered Sumatran Tiger – Tambling nature conservation

https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2023/04/04/mission-tiger-sumatra-tambling-1-hnk-spc-intl.cnn

Above is a link to a short but fascinating video which CNN did about an ex hunter who is trying to atone for his former behaviour.

It is under 6 minutes and well worth a watch. It is not brand new, but I hope it is of interest.

This is a reserve of about 480 square km on the southern end of Sumatra

While not vast, this small reserve has the capacity to support above 10% of the current remaining Sumatran tiger population.

I hope to be able to link to this destination in the near future