First pair of rare singing siamang gibbons released into the wild in Indonesia

Two very rare Siamang gibbons, rescued from the illegal pet trade, were released into the wild in South Sumatra, Indonesia. The pair was released as a part of the rehabilitation programme in Punti Kayu, South Sumatra.

Siamang gibbons are known for their peculiar loud voice which they use as a part of communication and for marking their territory. Their large throat sacs are their distinctive feature.

The two rescued Siamang gibbons were found in extremely miserable conditions in a pet trade market in Indonesia, all coiled up into a small cage, diseased and traumatised.

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Their rehabilitation process took five years, and the first two Siamang gibbons were released into the wild on 23 December 2023. Since their release, the rare species has shown positive signs of adapting to new surroundings, giving hope for further successful releases.

Due to their powerful singing voices, they are often targets of illegal pet trade in Indonesia.

Pair of singing Siamang gibbons released into the wild

Siamang gibbons are found in rainforests in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. They are very rare these days and are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. While habitat loss is one of the reasons for these special gibbons’ endangering, the illegal pet trade has caused more harm to them more than anything.

“Gibbons are one of the most popular primates for pets in the illegal wildlife trade and Siamangs are one of the biggest targets because of their beautiful forest singing,” said Made Wedana, country director for the Indonesia programme of the Aspinall Foundation wildlife charity.

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To tackle the worsening situation, in 2023, the Aspinall Foundation completed the work on a rehabilitation centre in South Sumatra. This centre in Punti Kayu is a one-of-its-kind rehabilitation centre dedicated to Siamang gibbons.

Last year on 23 December, the first pair of Jon and Cimung was released into the wild.

“Both of them were kept as pets. Jon’s condition was extremely bad – he had severe diarrhoea and was acutely malnourished. We were concerned he wouldn’t survive,” Wedana said.

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Not only did they survive but also thrived after gradually adapting to their new surroundings at the centre. “The two Siamangs took to their surroundings very naturally and in the afternoon they started calling, which is a hugely positive sign,” said Wedana, who accompanied the pair to their release, said it went perfectly.

The team will now monitor the gibbons on foot for about four months to make sure they can fend for themselves. If everything goes well, other wild-born Siamangs rescued from the pet trade will also be released in South Sumatra.

(With inputs from agencies)