Western black crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 10251257

Laos is extremely important for gibbon conservation. It is home to six different gibbon species, including four species of highly threatened crested gibbons. With relatively large areas of forest remaining compared to most of its neighbours, Laos is the best hope for the conservation of some of these gibbon species, as well as other endemic plants and animals.

Together with the government and partner NGOs, FFI supported to preparation of a national gibbon conservation action plan for Laos, which was endorsed by the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in June 2011. This can be downloaded from www.fauna-flora.org/laos.

The western black crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor) is globally Critically Endangered and in Laos only one location is known which may have a viable population, that is Nam Kan National Protected Area. Most of the global population of this species is in neighbouring Yunnan Province in China. The project provided the basis for conducting a gibbon survey in March 2012, which now provides a clearer picture of the status of gibbons in the protected area. There are more groups than previously estimated (this is mainly because most of the area had not been surveyed before) and it can now be concluded that this is one of the most important sites globally for this species. However hunting pressure in Nam Kan is high. The Gibbon Experience tourism operation is successfully protecting wildlife and a substantial number of the gibbon groups where it operates. The survey identified other areas where the gibbons urgently need protection from hunting. The protected area has very few resources and, being one of Lao’s newest protected areas, there is relatively little experience among its staff.