GCS, along with IUCN Section on Small apes, is happy to host the 4th International Gibbon Husbandry, Health and Conservation Conference!
This year, the conference will be hosted online by us. It will be a one-day only program focusing on rehabilitation and future efforts for gibbon conservation. It will also be a precursor to the 5th International Gibbon Husbandry, Health and Conservation Conference, which will be held in-person by GCS in Malaysia tentatively in October 2024.
For enquiries, please send us an email at contactus@gibbonconservationsociety.org
Program
Session 1: Gibbon Rehabilitation, What’s New?
This session will focus on updates on gibbon rehabilitation including discussing the IUCN Best Practice Guidelines for the Rehabilitation and Translocation of Gibbons. Published in 2015, the guidelines are almost a decade old. Participants are encouraged to share what they’ve learnt about gibbon rehabilitation that differs from the guide. There will be limited slots available for related case studies/presentations, please apply for a slot in the registration form. This session will also discuss animal mental health and welfare as a key part of rehabilitation and the benefits of auditing rehabilitation centres.
Session 2: The Future of Gibbon Conservation
This session will focus on discussions of future plans for gibbon conservation. Participants are encouraged to share plans, current or future, that innovate the field of gibbon conservation. There will be limited slots available for related case studies/presentations, please apply for a slot in the registration form.
In conjunction with this conference, the SSA & GCS will be hosting a public online event on the 4th of November 2023 where the conclusions of session 2 will be shared with the public by a select group of panelist. The public will also be encouraged to share their ideas as well. At the end of the event, the ideas collected from both the conference and public event will be sent to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Malaysia in a letter to encourage more action and collaboration with the government.
Session 2 will also host a brief discussion on ideas and thoughts for the in-person conference in 2024.
About the Conference
The International Gibbon Husbandry, Health and Conservation Conferences are the effort of the IUCN Section on Small Apes to bring together those working in the field of gibbon conservation, husbandry and veterinary care to share knowledge, improve practices and encourage a supportive network to ensure gibbons all over the world get the best possible chance at life. Each conference is co-hosted by a local gibbon organisation in the host country.
The 1st International Gibbon Husbandry Conference took place at Greensboro Science Centre, North Carolina in June 2012. In 2015 Perth Zoo hosted the 2nd International Gibbon Husbandry and Conservation Conference. In 2022, Three Monkeys Wildlife Conservancy held the conference in Vietnam in November.
About the IUCN Section on Small Apes
The SSA is a community of over 120 experts from 23 countries, with the greatest repository of gibbon knowledge in the world.
The SSA also strengthens co-ordination among gibbon conservationists worldwide, sharing resources and knowledge to make their work more effective. They provide direct technical support to conservationists in the field (or rainforest!) – and keep IUCN guidelines up to date.
About Gibbon Conservation Society
Gibbon Conservation Society is a Malaysian NGO dedicated to protecting and conserving gibbons in Malaysia. We believe it is important to approach conservation from every possible angle in order to truly solve the issues faced by our wildlife. That is why we work towards a comprehensive approach that not only tackles rehabilitation and the wildlife trade, but also empowers individuals, collaborates with communities, contributes to scientific research, spreads awareness across the globe and so much more.