“Keep
gibbons
wild.”
THE PROBLEM
Illegal wildlife trafficking has surged since 2023 across key biodiversity hotspots in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
These countries serve as source, transit, and destination points for various wildlife species, including gibbons and siamangs, all of which are either Endangered (EN) or Critically Endangered (CR) under the IUCN Red List. All gibbons and siamangs are also totally protected from international trade under CITES Appendix I. Learn more about gibbons and siamangs here.
Organised trafficking syndicates exploit porous borders, weak enforcement, and inadequate coordination between nations to fuel the international demand for gibbons in the exotic pet trade and entertainment industries, as well as for private collections and political diplomacy.
Recent cases have highlighted increases in the trafficking of gibbons and siamangs from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand - by boat, overland, and air trafficking through the Thai and Malaysian airports, with most seizures taking place at Indian airports.
In response to this crisis, Save The Gibbon Alliance (SGA), a group of individuals and organisations, was formed to support and unite regional concerns, and organise integrated campaigns to foster public interest that will, in turn, empower behavioural changes and inspire advocacy to foster improved enforcement and law reform to provide better prognosis for those confiscated from trade, and to keep gibbons in the wild.
SGA’s steering committee comprises the Aaranyak, Malaysian Primatological Society, Roots and Shoots Malaysia, and Orangutan Information Centre.
THE ALLIANCE
infoOur role is to convene and enable work across sectors and nations to collectively eliminate the illegal trade of gibbons, both at its source and where the demands come from.
Save The Gibbons Alliance aims to:
Raise regional awareness and reclaim public narratives surrounding primate conservation and issues related to the illegal trade, wildlife laundering, and animal welfare - by using evidence-based storytelling to inspire public discourse.
Turn public interest into concrete actions that are locally appropriate and on social media platforms.
Engage with policymakers for law reforms that position gibbons and siamangs as conservation priorities by linking trade issues to One Health, biodiversity and natural heritage, and ethics.
Establish visibility and trust in SGA’s role as the central point of contact and a scientifically accurate knowledge-sharing platform among researchers, rescue centres, zoos, government agencies, press media, and the general public.
Contact us for info or collaboration.