Saving endangered Skywalker gibbons with techno-matchmaking

In this video, we head deep into a cloud forest in China’s Gaoligong Mountains National Nature Reserve, to encounter the planet’s last remaining ‘Skywalker’ gibbons.

Skywalker hoolock gibbons are covered in short fur, nearly jet black on males and beige on females. Unlike other gibbon species, they have thin white eyebrows and darker beards. But, like all gibbons, they have no tail, and instead use their long arms for balance when navigating the treetops.

These small members of the ape family were only identified in 2017 (by a Star Wars fan – hence their name), but they are already on the endangered primates list, given human encroachments into their territory.

However, it may yet be possible to boost their numbers, thanks to technology.

Today, researchers in south-west China are working on an ingenious match-making solution for getting gibbons from different territories to meet and form a partnership, in the knowledge that Skywalkers will mate for life, and hopefully breed and sustain their species.

View the original video here.

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