SILVERY GIBBON PROJECT PO BOX 335 COMO 6952 WESTERN AUSTRALIA Website: www.silvery.org.au E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 61 8 92933052 JUNE 2009 From t he President … Welcome to our June edition of the Silvery Gibbon Project newsletter. We hope that you will be pleased with our progress in recent months. As we near the end of the financial year we ask that you please consider membership renewal and assist us to continue our important work. The challenges faced by many NGOs fighting to preserve habitat and wildlife in Indonesia have certainly been making news in the last few months. Perhaps the most notable is the current proposal by a major pulp and paper company to destroy 33,000 hectares of critically important forest habitat in Sumatra. Whilst this area is obviously not home to Javan Gibbons, it does contain significant populations of Agile Gibbons and Siamang, as well as critically endangered Sumatran elephants, Sumatran tigers, Malayan tapirs; and is the only reintroduction site for Sumatran Orang-utans. Indigenous tribes also live in this area, and the forest river system provides critical water supplies for the surrounding regions. With Carbon Trading on the horizon, greedy land-grabbing tactics of multinational timber, paper and pulp and palm oil companies are in full force. We implore the Indonesian Government to think of the future and not succumb to the appeal of short term financial gain. Once these areas are gone, they are gone forever, it’s as simple as that. You can help with this campaign by signing the following online petition; http://www.gopetition.com.au/online/27907.html In Java, where the habitat destruction has already occurred, we must now fight to preserve the remaining 2% and work hard to combat the illegal trade of their remaining wildlife. Education is the key to change and in an exciting development this month we graciously received a $10,000 grant from Perth Zoo for the operation of a Mobile education Unit in Java. Small steps like this give us some hope that we can hold on to these species long enough to see a generational change in attitudes and values that will see us through to a much brighter future. Thank you all once again for your continued support. Take care Clare Page 2 Javan Gibbon Centre Update We are pleased to welcome three new gibbons to the Javan Gibbon Centre! The three gibbons, Nuk and Kun and their young baby, are part of the group received from the Cikananga Rescue Centre in 2008. The arrival of these particular gibbons was delayed to allow the family time to bond before undergoing quarantine at the JGC. The family have now completed their quarantine period and will soon be transferred to an outdoor forested enclosure. Their exit from quarantine will allow the arrival of another female gibbon who will soon commence her 30 day quarantine exam at the Javan Gibbon Centre and become the 31st Silvery gibbon at the centre. Work is underway on the preparation of the Pattiwel forest site for the trial release of gibbons. The site will act as a soft release site to assess the suitability of gibbons for release into protected habitat. The Silvery Gibbon Project has already directed more than $5,000 AUD towards development of the site. This money has gone towards the construction of trails inside and around the site, a series of education and awareness talks for local people around the Pattiwel forest site, ongoing support for research students conducting vegetation surveys of the forest and behavioural observations of the gibbon pair selected as the first release candidates (Echi and Septa) as well as the establishment of security patrols by park ranger staff. A further $12,000 AUD has been requested for further work including the construction of a soft release enclosure, the construction of a residence for staff to monitor the gibbons, and the preparation of signage for the local people. $5,000 of this will be transferred shortly to enable this work to commence. Plans are underway to construct a new enclosure for long term resident Nakula. Committee members Holly Thompson and Karen Payne plan to visit the centre in July and hope to be able to take Xrays of Nakula to assess the extent of his spinal changes. They are also keen to see progress made at the Pattiwel site during their visit. Left: JGC staff conducting information talks with local villagers. Right: staff constructing pathways around Pattiwel forest site. Not sure what to spend your Rudd Money on? Why not put aside a small amount of your government stimulus payment and donate it to the Silvery Gibbon Project’s “Go Without for Gibbons” campaign? All donations over $2 are tax deductible so not only do you help the gibbons, you can even claim it back again in your next tax return! Page 3 Javan Gibbon Global Management Meeting Howlett’s Wild Animal Park in the UK hosted an international meeting in April, bringing together all the relevant stakeholders to discuss the global management of Silvery Gibbons in zoos as well as strategies to develop greater links between ex situ and in situ conservation. The meeting was attended by all major holders of this species as well as Indonesian Government representatives and NGO’s. Leif cocks, Curator of Exotics at Perth Zoo and International Species Coordinator for Silvery Gibbons, was able to attend and present the proposal for a management structure similar to that implemented for Golden Lion Tamarins in the 1970’s. This model will not only allow for more effective cooperative management of this species internationally but also require considerable contribution to in situ conservation by zoos holding this species world- wide. This link to conservation in Java will bring welcome assistance to organizations such as the Javan Gibbon Foundation and the Silvery Gibbon Project. Leif gave a presentation on the Silvery Gibbon Project to delegates during the meeting and provided information on current projects and future proposals. This was an excellent opportunity for the profile of SGP to be raised in the international community and we hope that the outcome of this meeting will help us to advance conservation efforts in Java as well as improve the management of this species in Zoos. Page 4 Funding secured for Mobile Conservation Education Unit The Silvery Gibbon Project has helped fund a Mobile Conservation Education Unit (MCEU) in Java after securing $10,000 AUD in funding through Perth Zoo’s Wildlife Conservation Action fund. The MCEU, which has been operational since January 2003, is used to take conservation education programs out to local Javan schools and communities. The MCEU targets those in the vicinity of Silvery Gibbon habitats, particu- larly the communities surrounding the Gunung Gede Pangrango and Gunung Halimun-Salak National Parks. The Education Unit aims to raise public awareness concerning the threats facing Silvery Gibbons and their habitat, and to encourage local residents to incorporate conservation in their daily activities. The Education Unit uses the characters of Moli, the Silvery gibbon, and Telsi, the Javan hawkeagle, to deliver their conservation message. It also organises wildlife films, stimulating discussions, interactive games; and provides a small library which is accessible to local groups. The MCEU program consists of: Forest interpretation Educational films about flora and fauna Small mobile library Discussion and interactive quizzes on environmental issues Conservation and education interactive games. Leaflets and booklets Conservation music Future efforts of the MCEU will also be directed towards delivering programs that school teachers can continue with throughout the year and in between visits. The MCEU is managed locally by the Javan Gibbon Foundation and works closely with Conservation International Indonesia, which has generously provided a vehicle and multimedia support for the program. The money provided by the Silvery Gibbon Project will help to keep this important program running by providing funding for materials (equipment, printing, etc), operational costs (fuel, logistics, instructors) and vehicle maintenance. Melbourne Zoo and Mogo Zoo spend up big for Men of the Trees 2009 Festival of Trees Silvery Gibbons! On 29 March the Silvery Gibbon Project again During a recent visit to Mogo Zoo, SGP Vice President took part in the annual Festival of Trees; an Karen Payne was able to visit Mogo’s new additions - event organised by Men of the Trees (MOTT) to Silvery Gibbons Arjuna (previously from Perth Zoo) promote environmental awareness in the and Layla. The gibbons are soon to move into their general community. It was a great day for SGP new display enclosure and it is hoped that they will members, who were able to talk to many become a successful breeding pair, contributing to people about our conservation work on Java, the global captive population of this endangered and the encouraging progress that has been species. Mogo Zoo staff very generously purchased a made in the past twelve months. SGP also had wide range of SGP merchandise, raising over $400 for a display, which included a range of Silvery the Project. Gibbon T-shirts, earrings and half-price calendars. It attracted considerable attention, Despite not holding Silvery Gibbons, Melbourne Zoo and we were able to sell calendars and other staff were also very generous in supporting the merchandise, all of which will assist us in our Silvery Gibbon Project, purchasing over $900 of on-going work in Java. merchandise during the three months that Karen spent there earlier this year. A big thanks to The SGP Committee are looking into other everyone (particularly those in the Melbourne Zoo options for 2010, which will include providing a veterinary department) who so readily contributed similar information stall at the South Perth to our cause.
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