Project (Completed) Survey of lar gibbons in Yunnan
The Nangunhe Nature Reserve in Southwest Yunnan (PRC) has long been presumed to be the last stronghold of white-handed or lar gibbons (Hylobates lar) in China and the likely last place of occurrence of the taxon Hylobates lar yunnanensis.
![Nangunhe Nature Reserve, Cangyuan, Yunnan](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b75aac_2239e824c729483487d35ebdfc99e018.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/b75aac_2239e824c729483487d35ebdfc99e018.jpg)
In 2007, we launched a comprehensive survey to confirm the presence and assess the status of white-handed gibbons at Nangunhe.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b75aac_bf3a291facb14d53bbf5fd601858eced.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/b75aac_bf3a291facb14d53bbf5fd601858eced.jpg)
We found no visual or auditory evidence of white-handed gibbons still residing at the reserve and therefore tentatively conclude that white-handed gibbons have become extinct in China and the subspecies Hylobates lar yunnanensis may not exist anymore.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b75aac_545ee44366244618ab2812f17a3f397d.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/b75aac_545ee44366244618ab2812f17a3f397d.jpg)
It appears that large-scale destruction of primary forests in the 1960s and 1970s has brought about an initial decline in numbers of white-handed gibbons, and subsequent uncontrolled hunting has resulted in their extirpation.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b75aac_260e2103d4ce445bb52674af39e2c101.jpg/v1/fill/w_525,h_579,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/b75aac_260e2103d4ce445bb52674af39e2c101.jpg)
Collaborators: