The rarest primate on Earth is in danger. A rope bridge could help it survive
In a nature reserve in China, wild gibbons have been swinging and climbing their way across a rope bridge. It seems like a pastime any primate would embrace. But the bridge isn't there for ape amusement. It's there to help a critically endangered species survive.
The Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus) faces high extinction rates due to habitat loss and hunting, with only about 30 of the animals alive today, according to the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, a Hong Kong conservation group that's spearheaded an effort to preserve the primates.
The group just published a study, in the journal Scientific Reports, detailing how the gibbons, considered the rarest primate on Earth, have reacted to the first artificial canopy bridge installed to help them traverse forest gaps that can impact their dispersal, foraging and even breeding opportunities. Deforestation, typhoons and landslides can all fragment forests, making it difficult for primates to navigate their environment like usual.
"While restoring natural forest corridors should be a priority conservation intervention, artificial canopy bridges may be a useful short-term solution," the authors write.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/the-rarest-primate-on-earth-is-in-danger-a-rope-bridge-could-help-it-survive/ar-BB1aby6A?li=BBnbcA1&ocid=DELLDHP