Submitted by
susan.cheyne
on Thu, 10/01/2026 - 15:58
General Information
Period covered
IUCN Constituent
IUCN Species Survival Commission 2026-2029
IUCN Constituent type
IUCN Species Survival Commission 2026-2029
Activities carried out to implement this Resolution
| Relevant operative para(s) of Res/Rec | Activities Overview | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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All
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Capacity building
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Progressing registration of the Global Gibbon Network (GGN) as an international social organisation with China's Ministry of Civil Affairs, giving the network legal standing to tackle illegal trade and coordinate rescue, rehabilitation and rewilding. Partners reviewed the draft application at charter meetings in August 2026, and next steps will be agreed at the 4th GGN Meeting of Partners (Hainan, 9 to 11 October 2026).
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On-going
|
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All
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Fundraising
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Incorporated IUCN SSC PSG Section on Small Apes Limited (UK company no. 15949419) to hold funds and sign agreements for the Section and GGN. Finalising an application to the Global EbA Fund 8th Call (open 28 September to 26 October 2026) for a transboundary climate adaptation knowledge network across the Western Hoolock Gibbon landscape, and identifying routes towards Phase II of IUCN Save Our Species (SOS) Gibbon.
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On-going
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All
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Scientific/technical activities
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Species action plans, with associated implementation budgets, are being developed through the Section on Small Apes for all 20 gibbon species across the 11 range countries, to underpin data-driven, range-wide conservation planning.
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On-going
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All
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Scientific/technical activities
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Drafted a Global Small Ape Research Prospectus setting out 50 priority research topics across seven themes, including population monitoring, health and disease, genetics and connectivity, acoustics and reintroduction, to guide evidence-based planning across all gibbon range states. The draft was circulated to the GibbonFamily research network for comment in August 2026.
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On-going
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All
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Field activities
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Drafting a Climate Resilience Framework for Gibbons, a strategic proposal for NGOs and local communities across all eleven gibbon range states, addressing habitat restoration, climate adaptation and preparedness, prepared under the IUCN SSC Section on Small Apes / Global Gibbon Network.
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On-going
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All
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Other (please specify)
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Preparing a Wenner-Gren Foundation proposal (deadline 1 December 2026) for an international workshop in Assam bringing together the Western Hoolock Gibbon Transboundary Consortium (India, Bangladesh, Myanmar) for knowledge-sharing, local ecological knowledge training and documentation of gibbon oral traditions among marginalised communities. Consortium partners last met online on 23 September 2026.
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Planned
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All
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Education/Communication/Raising awareness
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International Gibbon Day (24 October 2026) campaign on the theme 'The Forest has a Voice, Can you Hear It?', using gibbon song to show that quiet forests are empty forests and that gibbons belong in the wild, not as pets (#KeepGibbonsWild, #gibbonsarenotpets, #IGD2026).
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On-going
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All
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Capacity building
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Co-organising the 5th Gibbon Conference and gibbon husbandry workshop in Bandung, Indonesia (October 2026), with dedicated veterinary training on care, welfare and disease prevention for rescued gibbons. The Section on Small Apes is funding travel for selected participants.
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On-going
|
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All
|
Scientific/technical activities
|
The GibbonFamily research network completed a data landscape survey (18 responses) mapping existing gibbon datasets. Behavioural (66.7% of respondents) and acoustic data (38.9%) are the most accessible and span all four genera (Hoolock, Hylobates, Nomascus, Symphalangus), and will shape a first joint comparative project.
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On-going
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All
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Convene stakeholders/Networking
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Symposium 'Citizen Science for Gibbon Conservation and Monitoring in Asia' accepted for the 10th Asian Primate Symposium (Sepilok, Sabah, Malaysia, 22 to 26 November 2026), bringing together practitioners from range states including India, Myanmar, Indonesia and China to share community-led monitoring approaches.
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Planned
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All
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Capacity building
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Funded participants to attend the Orangutan Veterinary Advisory Group (OVAG) workshop in Indonesia (August 2026), strengthening ape veterinary capacity in disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment in rescue and rehabilitation settings.
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Completed
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All
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Field activities
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GGN partners drafted a concept framework and budget (September 2026) for a GGN gibbon-friendly ecotourism programme, to be submitted to Eco Foundation Global for support.
|
On-going
|
Actors involved in this resolution
| IUCN Members | IUCN Commissions | IUCN Secretariat | Other non-IUCN related organisations |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Aaranyak ( India )
Arcus Foundation ( United States of America )
Eco Foundation Global ( China )
Zoological Society of London ( United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland )
|
IUCN Species Survival Commission 2026-2029
|
Yes
|
Challenges / lessons learned
| Challenges / lessons learned | Description |
|---|---|
|
Insufficient / lack of resources
|
Securing sustainable core funding remains the main constraint on scaling range-wide gibbon conservation action. The group is diversifying income through UK charitable/company status and applications to climate funds such as the Global EbA Fund. |
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Coordination issues
|
Coordinating action across eleven range states with differing institutional capacity requires sustained relationship-building. Formal registration of the GGN in China is intended to give this coordination a durable legal and organisational base. Travel costs also limit in-person participation of range state partners in network meetings. |
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WCC-2025-Res-115 Activity Report 2026.docx
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Report status
Published