Hainan gibbon
Aug 26, 2025The Hainan gibbon is the rarest primate in the world, found only in one forest reserve on Hainan Island, China. When Seacology began working with the four villages close to the reserve in 2003, only 13 gibbons remained. Villagers were struggling to make a living, and many could not afford to send their children to primary school. They would cut down trees in the reserve, and there was very little cooperation between the villagers and the park rangers.
Seacology, working with zoological societies from Shanghai and Paris, funded 719 scholarships for children in 250 families. Relationships between local villagers and park rangers dramatically improved, and environmental education was integrated into the schools. In December 2006, the Chinese government abolished tuition fees for children in rural areas, and the seeds of conservation continued to grow.
In 2020, the gibbons� population had risen to more than 30, and a new breeding pair was spotted, signaling a new era of hope for these critically endangered creatures.