Endangered North Bornean gibbon born in captivity in Sabah
KOTA KINABALU (June 12): The unprecedented birth of a male gibbon on May 8, 2025, the first in the world to be born in captivity for this species (scientifically known as Hylobates funereus or by its common name North Bornean Gibbon or known as 'Kalawot' in the local native language), has created history for Sabah and Malaysia, said Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Seri Christina Liew.
Sabah-born primatologist Mariani Ramli, who is the founder and president of Gibbon Conservation Society (GCS), accorded Liew the honour to name the baby born to parents Candyman and Manis (rescued a couple of years ago) at the Borneo Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (Borneo GReP) site at Kg Kiau Bersatu, Kota Belud.
Founded in 2013, GCS is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and re-wilding (or release back into the wild) of Malaysia's forgotten singing apple – gibbons – who are often victims of the illegal wildlife pet trade. Borneo GReP was established in 2022.
Newborn Nabalu clings tightly to his mother, Manis, while his father, Candyman, keeps a lookout for potential danger (PR, Photo by courtesy of GCS).
'The birth is a historic first for this endangered species in captivity at a rehabilitation centre. I picked the name 'Nabalu' (meaning Spirit of the Mountain) for this baby gibbon by drawing names provided by Mariani when she paid a courtesy call on me recently,' Liew said, while agreeing to adopt the infant (symbolically).
'The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS) through its agency, Sabah Wildlife Department (JHL), supports the Society's gibbon conservation, rehabilitation and re-wilding project,' said Liew.
In response to a question from the minister, Mariani, who is the Director of Operations at Borneo GReP, said Nabalu, together with his parents, will be released back into the wild as a family when it is more than six months old.
'With Nabalu's birth, both Manis and Candyman have proven their readiness for 're-wilding',' she added.
According to the gibbon expert, successful gibbon 're-wilding' requires fulfilment of all the criteria for release based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Best Practices Guidelines For The Rehabilitation and Translocation of Gibbons.
She said these include Brachiation (which means natural swinging from branch to branch), Minimal Time on the Ground (less than five per cent of time, more than 40 per cent in the upper canopy), Proper Socialisation (at least three per cent of time grooming and bonding with others), and Paired with a Child (that is, successful mating and co-parenting of offspring).
'Furthermore, the release site must be agreeable among all stakeholders,' she added. 'They comprise KePKAS, JHL, GCS, and the local community where the Society is going to release the gibbons.'
Meanwhile, the minister congratulated Mariani on having gained international recognition for her gibbon conservation and rehabilitation work in Malaysia under the auspices of GCS. Notably, the primatologist was appointed as World Female Ranger Ambassador for Resilience twice – in 2024 and 2025, and the only Malaysian at that.
'With your passion and relentless effort, you (Mariani) have made Sabah and Malaysia proud of your leadership in gibbon conservation through your Society,' Liew remarked.
'We also take pride in the acknowledgement that the two gibbon rehabilitation project sites in Sabah and Pahang, respectively, constitute Malaysia's only IUCN accredited gibbon rehabilitation project centres.'
Not many are aware of the existence of GCS, let alone know that it is the organisation that owns, runs and manages the Borneo gibbon rehabilitation project site (Borneo GReP) in Kota Belud. The site in Raub (Pahang) is under the care of operations director Ana Jonessy, also a Sabahan.
Director of the Sabah Wildlife Department, Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar, who was present during the courtesy call, said gibbons rescued by the department were handed over to Borneo GReP for rehabilitation purposes.
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