World's first gibbon born in captivity in Sabah to be released into the wild
Pictures courtesy of Gibbon Conservation Society
KOTA KINABALU: The world's possibly first gibbon born in captivity will be released into the wild with its parents once it reaches 6 months of age.
'"Nabalu' was born on May 8 to Candyman and Manis, a pair of gibbons rescued and rehabilitated at the Borneo Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (Borneo GReP) in Kampung Kiau Bersatu, Kota Belud. The centre was established in 2022.
Gibbon experts said a successful "rewilding" must meet all release criteria outlined in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Best Practice Guidelines for the Rehabilitation and Translocation of Gibbons.
Gibbon Conservation Society founder and president Mariani Ramli, a Sabahan primatologist, said Nabalu and its parents will be released as a family once the baby is over 6 months old.
"With Nabalu's birth, both Manis and Candyman have demonstrated their readiness for rewilding."
She said the release site must be agreed upon by all stakeholders, including the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, Sabah Wildlife Department and Gibbon Conservation Society.
The honour of naming the newborn gibbon was given to Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew by the Gibbon Conservation Society.
"The birth on May 8 is a historic milestone for this endangered species in captivity at the rehabilitation centre. I chose the name 'Nabalu', which means Spirit of the Mountain, for this baby gibbon," said Liew.
She added that the ministry, through the Sabah Wildlife Department, supports the Gibbon Conservation Society's gibbon conservation, rehabilitation and rewilding efforts.
Liew congratulated Mariani for gaining international recognition for her gibbon conservation work in Malaysia.
Mariani was recently appointed the only Malaysian World Female Ranger Ambassador for Resilience for 2024 and 2025.
"With your passion and relentless dedication, you (Mariani) have made Sabah and Malaysia proud through your leadership in gibbon conservation.
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