Population Status And Conservation Of Western Black Crested Gibbons In Lincang, Yunnan

Western black crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor) is one of the national key protected wild animals of China. It is evaluated as the’Critically Endangered’species in IUCN Red List. Of the four subspecies, N. c. furvogaster is endemic to Lincang, Yunnan and is a unique population in genus Nomascus, as it is distributed to the west of Mekong River. This subspecies were found in different mountain ranges of Yongde Daxueshan, Bangmashan, Gengmadashan, Huihanshan and Wokandashan in Lincang, and recently, Xuezhulinshan in Zhenkang county was confirmed to be a new distribution range. Though there were some population surveys and estimated reports in early years, some of which even claimed a population of hundreds of individual, no systematic surveys was done and no current population data was available in last 20 years except in Yongde and Zhenkang, which obviously limited the enaction of conservation action plans and management for conservation of this critically endangered small ape. Therefore, we intend to investigate the populations, historical distribution and conservation status of western black crested gibbon in Lincang, analyze the major threats to the gibbon, and give some suggestions for more effective and efficient protection and conservation of the gibbon.The 149-day field surveys were conducted from October 2013 to January 2014 and from March to May 2014 using interviews, loud morning songs monitoring and line-transect methods. We interviewed 168 local people and 87 interviewees offered positive information of gibbon existence throughout the 87 villages. We used 64 tall hills as listening posts, and spent at least three consecutive days to monitor gibbons’ morning call. The 59 transect lines,268.7 km in total, were designed in forests to record any activity signs of gibbons and other mammals. We also drew the distribution and range shrinkage maps of gibbons in Lincang for the last 60 years through ArcGIS 10.0 and PhotoShop CS5 graphic software.The results show that western black crested gibbon is quite rare in Lincang, Yunnan, and the total population is only about 10 groups, which scatter in different mountain ranges. The largest population of 4 groups is found in Yongde Daxueshan, 1-2 groups occur in Xuezhulingdashan. However, information of other groups in Bangmashan and Wokandashan is from interviews with local people, and the most recent sighting and singing records were in 2012. The black crested gibbon in Lincang is on the verge of extinction. The main causes to the rapid population decline, which continued to be the current major threats, are poaching, habitat loss and human disturbances, such as hunting, logging, commercial crop cultivation (walnut, cardamom, tea tree etc) and pasture.In consideration of population, conservation and management status of black crested gibbon in Lincang, we suggest that conservation stations should be established in Bangmashan and Xuezhulindashan to effectively patrol, monitor and protect gibbons and other wildlife; major threats to gibbons and other wildlife should be stopped, such as hunting and pasture; scientific monitoring should be started and a research station should be built to study the behavior, ecology and adaption to fragmented habitat of gibbons; and finally, conservation awareness education in local communities and governments is a way to promote concerns for the conservation of Nomascus concolor furvogaster.