Western black crested gibbons thrive in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains

International Gibbon Day is on October 24. In Yunnan's Ailao Mountains, home to China's largest population of western black crested gibbons – a critically endangered species – two baby gibbons were recorded this year during field monitoring. In 2020, about 270 western black crested gibbons were recorded in the Chuxiong area of the Ailao Mountain National Nature Reserve. These rare primates, under first-class national protection in China, reproduce only once every 3 to 5 years and reach maturity around age eight, making each new birth especially meaningful.

Researchers at the mountains have been conducting long-term monitoring of the species. The gibbons are omnivorous, feeding mainly on berries, young leaves, insects and bird eggs, and occasionally even flying squirrels. Their diet changes with the seasons, mirroring the rich biodiversity of their mountain habitat.