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Rope bridges could help save the world’s rarest primate, the Hainan gibbon, Nomascus hainanus, by helping them cross gaps in their forest habitat.
Experts who hung ropes about 30 feet above the ground across a 52-foot-wide patch of damaged forest have filmed gibbons using the bridge for the first time.
The Hainan gibbon, found only on the island of the same name in the South China Sea, is the most endangered primate, with a population of just 30.
At less than two feet tall, gibbons have slender bodies, with long arms and legs, while adult and juvenile males have jet black fur. Adult females are golden yellow.
It lives an arboreal, or tree-based life, and experts say it has never been seen on the ground, which means it needs our help crossing gaps in its habitat.
The same approach can be used to connect isolated patches of forests in other parts of the world and expand the habitats of endangered apes, the team said.
Rope bridges could help save the world’s rarest primate, the Hainan gibbon, Nomascus hainanus, by helping them cross gaps in their forest habitat, pictured
“The study highlights the use and value of rope bridges to connect the gaps in forest canopies,” said paper author and biologist Bosco Chan of Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden in Hong Kong.
“Although natural forest restoration should be a priority conservation intervention, artificial canopy bridges can be useful short-term solutions.”
Professional tree climbers built the bridge in 2015 using extra strong ropes of the kind that mountaineers also use.
They were tied between sturdy trees to form a crossing over a gap in the forest, caused by a natural landslide, along which the monkeys can swing and run.
“The rope bridges were 7-10 meters (23-33 feet) above the ground,” explained Dr. Chan.
Gibbons are strictly arboreal and very few in the wild would travel the ground by choice. The Hainan gibbon has never been observed on the ground.
“Artificial canopy bridges have been applied for the conservation of tree fauna in South America, Australia, Africa and Asia.”
“But they are not used for the conservation of gibbons, which are possibly the most threatened group of primates in the world.”
“The 20 classified species are threatened with extinction by the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.”
Dr Chan said that gibbons were wary of the bridge at first, as they are only used to swinging on branches. In fact, it took almost six months for them to gather the courage to use it to cross the landslide.
Females and small juveniles prefer it more. The mothers were filmed displaying their acrobatic skills, while the babies hung from their stomachs.
Over 15 months, the gibbon team recorded 208 photos and 53 videos using the artificial bridge.
Nine of the ten members of the group were observed in action, with the sole exception of the adult male. Motion-sensor cameras captured them using climbing motions more frequently, followed by arm swing.
“The largest juveniles did not use the rope bridge frequently and instead were regularly recorded jumping through the forest gap with the adult male,” Dr. Chan said.
Experts who suspended ropes about 30 feet above the ground through a 52-foot-wide patch of damaged forest have filmed the gibbons, pictured, using the bridge for the first time.
Hainan gibbons travel above the ground from tree to tree. Gaps in the canopy, whether natural or man-made, can restrict populations to a specific area.
This limits foraging and reproduction, and increases the risk of predation by eagles, hawks, and poachers. The animal is a prized pet and is also used in medicine.
The makeshift canopy bridge has allowed gibbons to travel between two habitat areas separated by a 50-foot (15-meter) wide gully formed by the landslide.
“The findings suggest that artificial rope bridges can help with conservation efforts. The frequency of use increased over time, ”said Dr. Chan.
The project could help save the Hainan gibbon and other animals at risk from climate change, deforestation and intensive agriculture.
The Hainan gibbon, found only on the island of the same name in the South China Sea, is the most endangered primate, with a population of just 30
Gibbons were once distributed across half of China, according to government records dating back to the 17th century.
They had long disappeared from the mainland in the late 1950s, but their population on Hainan Island still numbered over two thousand individuals at the time.
However, human activity, specifically hunting and habitat destruction for apes, is to blame for their decline in numbers over the next half century.
Today, the enigmatic primates occupy only a small portion of the remaining rainforest, which continues to shrink.
With the ongoing destruction of lowland forests, gibbons have been forced to settle in less suitable mountainous forests.
The Hainan gibbon lives an arboreal, or tree-based, life, and experts say it has never been seen on the ground, which means it needs our help crossing gaps in its habitat.
“Gibbon species face a high risk of extinction due to habitat loss and hunting,” explained Dr. Chan.
“The efficacy of the artificial canopy bridge as a conservation tool for wild gibbons has not been widely tested and the results are rarely published.”
“We built the first canopy bridge for Hainan gibbons in 2015 to ease passage in a natural landslide.”
“Mountaineering grade ropes were tied to sturdy trees with the help of professional tree climbers and a camera trap was installed to monitor wildlife use.”
“The study highlights the use and value of rope bridges to connect the gaps in forest canopies,” said paper author and biologist Bosco Chan of Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden in Hong Kong. “Although natural forest restoration should be a priority conservation intervention, artificial canopy bridges can be useful short-term solutions.” Professional tree climbers built the bridge with extra strong ropes of the kind that mountaineers also use.
“The rarest primate in the world can use a simple artificial canopy bridge. It is a valuable conservation tool for reconnecting fragmented gibbon habitats. ‘ Dr. Chan said.
The 52-foot-long canopy bridge, he added, was seen to be “used in both directions, and both females and young could initiate the crossing.”
“ Although we cannot assess rope fatigue, the dense growth of regenerated vegetation under the rope bridge is believed to provide a safe landing platform for the gibbons in the event of an accidental fall. ”
“We recommend the construction of canopy bridges in the initial stage of a forest gap restoration project to provide temporary connectivity.”
“But reforestation with fast-growing native trees should also be carried out simultaneously as a long-term solution, when it is socio-economically feasible.”
The full findings of the study were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
The Hainan gibbon is only found on the Chinese forested island of the same name, pictured. In the 1970s, the population of the species, the world’s rarest primate, was less than ten and today the numbers still stand at around 30.
