The Gibbon Conservation Society (GCS) said the latest addition marked a milestone in their rehabilitation efforts, following the birth of the first baby gibbon, Axel, on June 29, 2023, to mother Ebony and father Coley.

The second baby gibbon was born to mother Embun and father Rangga, and is being closely monitored by the NGO.

“The baby is developing well, meeting key developmental milestones under our close monitoring, which is essential for evaluating the family’s progress and readiness for eventual release,” it said in a statement.

It added that while the baby’s mother Embun exhibits maternal instincts of grooming and nurturing her infant, the father Rangga has shown hesitancy in interacting with the mother and baby.

“Our team is closely monitoring their behaviour to understand their interactions and ensure the cohesive development of the family unit,” it said.

It also said both gibbon families are expected to be released into the wild next year if sufficient funding is secured.

GCS said the release would be facilitated by their team of animal keepers, rehabilitation leaders and an all-female indigenous Semai wildlife ranger unit.

The wildlife ranger unit was originally formed as a Sewang performance group to welcome guests to their village in Pos Buntu, and later evolved into a ranger unit tasked with collecting and documenting data besides tracking wildlife health and behaviour.

Gibbons are considered a totally protected species but remain under threat from poachers and traders.

A sign that the rehabilitation has been successful is when the gibbons start producing offspring, as this shows that they feel safe and comfortable in the wild.