WE NEED YOUR HELP
Small apes are charismatic megafauna and play a crucial role in maintaining Malaysian forests through their ecological role as keystone seed dispersers. The IUCN lists all five Malaysian species with pictures attached below (Peninsular Malaysia: siamang, lar gibbon and agile gibbon; Sabah and Sarawak: northern gray gibbon and Abbott’s gray gibbon) as Endangered (A2cd) due to habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation and hunting. Small apes are frugivores that are dependent on closed-canopy forest for their diets and locomotion, and are strictly territorial, so they are particularly vulnerable to forest fragmentation. Unfortunately, due to rapid economic development, Malaysia’s forests are being lost at an alarming rate. Each Malaysian species is estimated to have lost ≥50% their original habitat in the last 50 years, with much of the remaining habitat fragmented and degraded.
Picture from left: Northen gray gibbon, © Nick Baker; Abbott’s gray gibbon, © Pierre de Chabannes; Siamang, © Peter Ong/ Project Monyet; Lar gibbon, © Peter Ong/ Project Monyet; and Agile gibbon, © Peter Ong/ Project Monyet
Therefore, the Malaysian Primatological Society has initiated the IUCN National Conservation Action Plan for Small Apes in Malaysia with the support from the IUCN Section Small Apes and The Habitat Foundation together with the participations from multi-agencies such as government agencies, NGOs, universities and many more, with the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) has been invited to be part of this work!
Representatives from the MNS Secretariat team has been involved in a few workshops and meetings held within these three months. The recent meeting has called for contributions towards the small apes sighting reports in whole Malaysia in order to close the knowledge gap on the gibbon species’ occurrence and distribution in Malaysia. We can’t think of any better candidates other than all MNS members who have been exploring all the nature places around Malaysia and surely you have heard the beautiful calls from the gibbons!
Thus, we will like to ask a favor from all MNS members to contribute your gibbon sightings (regardless of calls or direct observation) by filling out as much details as you have in the questionnaire that has been attached here. There are two versions available (Malay and English) and you can choose one of it.
Please click the button below to download the questionnaire.
Please submit this form to Mr. Woo Chee Yoong through woocheeyoong@gmail.com latest by 29th November 2020 and you are most welcomed to spread this message to your friends who have gibbon sightings to contribute. We would be grateful if you could attach any photos with your credited name in it (if available) and we will definitely acknowledge your contributions.
Please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Woo if you have any questions.
All the best and we are truly appreciate in advance for your contributions!
Please find MNS contact detail as below :
Name : Woo Chee Yoong
Position : Wildlife Research Assistant
MNS Conservation Division
Malaysian nature Society (MNS)
Email : woocheeyoong@gmail.com
More details about this amazing work by the Malaysian Primatological Society can be found in the link below:
A quick summary what we need from you.
1. Download our questionnaire form (English/Malay) version
2. Record your observation or sighting of gibbon in any part of Malaysia
3. Please send us the completed version via email to Mr Woo by 29th November 2020 His email would be woocheeyoong@gmail.com