Forest Patrols and Monitoring of White-Cheeked Gibbons in Vân Ho

Vân Ho, located in Son La province, is home to the white-cheeked gibbon, one of the rarest and highly threatened primate species. The natural forests of Pa Cop (Van Ho commune, Van Ho district) and Pu Tau village (Phieng Cam commune, Mai Son district) support at least three gibbon groups with 14 individuals, according to a 2020 survey conducted by PanNature.

However, the gibbons’ habitat is under threat from activities such as firewood collection, slash-and-burn agriculture, wildlife hunting, free-range livestock grazing, charcoal production, and fruit tree planting within the forest. In particular, the construction of roads into valleys for farming and grazing is disrupting gibbon movement corridors, fragmenting groups, and risking population decline.

To address this situation, PanNature has partnered with the Forest Protection Department, local village forest protection teams, the Van Ho Gibbon Conservation Team, and local youth groups to conduct regular forest patrols in areas inhabited by gibbons. During these patrols, evidence of violations, such as animal traps, has been detected, indicating that hunting activities persist.

With community participation and technical support from PanNature, forest patrols and gibbon monitoring will be maintained regularly. The goal is not only to ensure the safety of the gibbons but also to preserve the integrity of the Vân Ho forest ecosystem.

Images from the recent forest patrols and white-cheeked gibbon monitoring in Vân H? capture the efforts of patrol groups—from local village forest protection teams and rangers to youth groups—working together to safeguard the habitat and survival of this rare primate species. The journey remains challenging, but every step in the forest is a meaningful action toward preserving the biodiversity of this region.