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The animals were taken to a rehabilitation center

January, 18, 2025-05:22

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The animals were taken to a rehabilitation center:

The journey began with the primates being carefully loaded into specially-designed crates, ensuring their comfort and safety before being transported to Heathrow Airport for a commercial flight. Throughout the journey, all the primates remained alert, with the exception of occasional naps, and were provided with their usual diet of root vegetables, fine beans, and leafy greens. Additionally, each of them had a packed lunch filled with their favorite foods, thoughtfully chosen by their keepers.

Upon arriving in Indonesia, the primates were transported to a rehabilitation center in Java. They welcomed 2025 by swinging through the trees in their native land, where they will begin their preparation for rewilding. After several months of rehabilitation, the primates will be released into a protected 8,000-hectare site (80 km²) where they will live freely among 90 different species of trees, as part of ongoing conservation efforts to ensure their survival in the wild.

Both species of primates are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, indicating they face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

It is estimated that fewer than 4,500 mature Javan gibbons remain, with habitat loss, hunting, and the illegal pet trade contributing significantly to their decline. Known also as Silvery gibbons, they are uniquely adapted for brachiation, effortlessly swinging from branch to branch over distances of up to 10 meters. Among these travelling gibbons is Satu, a playful young male with a knack for surprising his keepers. He arrived in the land of his ancestors just in time for his ninth birthday.

Satu was joined by fellow Javan gibbons: six-year-old Kadua, nine-year-olds Bogel, Daru, and Pagang, 10-year-old Made, and eight-year-old Opak. Also part of the group are three Javan langurs, or grizzled leaf monkeys, which are similarly endangered, with only around 5,500 mature individuals left in the wild. Standing around one meter tall, these langurs are known for their long, slender limbs and dark fur, which is speckled with lighter shades. Joining the gibbons and langurs on their journey are 16-year-old Vitus, 10-year-old Taman, and the youngest of the group, eight-year-old Kaget.