jenna
March 16th, 2008, 11:46 PM
Story Highlights
East Java is home to about 150 of the remaining 4,000 Java gibbons
World Wildlife Fund: Gibbons are most endangered of ape species
Conservation International tries to rehabilitate gibbons
Indonesia holds the "highest deforestation" title in 2008 Guinness record bookEAST JAVA, Indonesia -- Primatologist Dr. Jatna Supriatna scans the treetops in a national park on the island of Java, looking for gibbons. This area is home to about 150 of the remaining 4,000 Java gibbons. These highly acrobatic creatures are easy prey on the ground and live well above it in the jungle canopy.
"They like the trees here, the fruit from the trees, so sometimes they are here," Supriatna says softly, as we trek through the natural beauty with midday light streaming through the foliage.
"This is keystone to the gibbons. You can't kill the trees" he continues emphatically, pointing out the dainty figs that are a staple part of the gibbons' diet.
But that's exactly what's going on. Indonesia has the shameful distinction of holding the "highest deforestation" title in the 2008 Guinness Book of World Records, destroying an estimated 300 soccer fields of forest every hour.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, these shy and elusive creatures are the most endangered of all ape species.
"They don't have any too big a natural enemy, but encroachment," Supriatna explains.
Through the foliage we can see the electrical towers from the human communities, slowly eating away at what's left of this protected land.
Baby gibbons are also subject to illegal poaching because they are considered cute pets and, according to Supriatna, selling for thousands of dollars on the black market.
"They kill the mother because they want to have the baby," Supriatna says. "So if they kill the mother, there is no chance for survival of the population, of the gibbon."
the rest, with a picture: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/16/java.gibbon.impact/index.html
East Java is home to about 150 of the remaining 4,000 Java gibbons
World Wildlife Fund: Gibbons are most endangered of ape species
Conservation International tries to rehabilitate gibbons
Indonesia holds the "highest deforestation" title in 2008 Guinness record bookEAST JAVA, Indonesia -- Primatologist Dr. Jatna Supriatna scans the treetops in a national park on the island of Java, looking for gibbons. This area is home to about 150 of the remaining 4,000 Java gibbons. These highly acrobatic creatures are easy prey on the ground and live well above it in the jungle canopy.
"They like the trees here, the fruit from the trees, so sometimes they are here," Supriatna says softly, as we trek through the natural beauty with midday light streaming through the foliage.
"This is keystone to the gibbons. You can't kill the trees" he continues emphatically, pointing out the dainty figs that are a staple part of the gibbons' diet.
But that's exactly what's going on. Indonesia has the shameful distinction of holding the "highest deforestation" title in the 2008 Guinness Book of World Records, destroying an estimated 300 soccer fields of forest every hour.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, these shy and elusive creatures are the most endangered of all ape species.
"They don't have any too big a natural enemy, but encroachment," Supriatna explains.
Through the foliage we can see the electrical towers from the human communities, slowly eating away at what's left of this protected land.
Baby gibbons are also subject to illegal poaching because they are considered cute pets and, according to Supriatna, selling for thousands of dollars on the black market.
"They kill the mother because they want to have the baby," Supriatna says. "So if they kill the mother, there is no chance for survival of the population, of the gibbon."
the rest, with a picture: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/16/java.gibbon.impact/index.html