Cao-vit gibbon remains at 74 wild individuals
Recent Developments
012023 research using vocal fingerprinting and acoustic monitoring revised the global wild population to 74 individuals in 11 family groups.
02Fauna & Flora reported in 2025 that the estimated wild population remains 74 and highlighted that the species may be stable or slowly increasing.
032024 reporting from the Vietnam-China border area described patrol observations including infant sightings in the Cao Bằng conservation area.
Interventions
- Transboundary conservation management between Vietnam and China for the shared border habitat.
- Ongoing patrols, monitoring, and protection of the Cao Bằng/Bangliang forest patch by conservation groups and local authorities.
- Habitat restoration and corridor-focused conservation planning for the isolated karst forest population.
What Works
- Acoustic monitoring and vocal fingerprinting have produced the most precise population estimate to date, improving conservation targeting.
- Patrol-based protection and transboundary coordination help reduce direct threats to the only known wild population.
- Habitat expansion and restoration are considered necessary for long-term recovery because the current forest patch is far too small for robust growth.
How to Help
- Donate to organizations working on Cao-vit gibbon conservation, such as Fauna & Flora and partner conservation programs.
- Support primate conservation NGOs that fund monitoring, patrols, and habitat restoration in northern Vietnam and southern China.
- Advocate for stronger protected-area management and cross-border habitat connectivity in Vietnam and China.
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Verified Organizations
Organizations Helping(12)
IUCN supports cao-vit gibbon conservation through its species conservation and grant mechanisms, including work tied to the Save Our Species initiative. Its involvement focuses on improving protected-area management plans, strengthening law enforcement, building capacity, raising awareness, and supporting livelihood opportunities for local communities so that conservation is compatible with human use of the landscape. IUCN also supports coordination among transboundary partners working on the species.
PRC Foundation partners with Fauna & Flora on transboundary Cao Vit gibbon conservation in Cao Bang Province, Vietnam. They support community-based patrol groups for monitoring gibbon populations and threat reduction, habitat restoration through tree planting, law enforcement assistance, sustainable agriculture and community tourism cooperatives to reduce habitat loss pressures in buffer zones, and implementation of the Cao Vit Gibbon Conservation Action Plan 2021-2030.
CLP funds and mentors conservation research projects for the Cao Vit gibbon in China (Guangxi), led by researcher Fan Pengfei. Their approach addresses immediate threats like fuelwood collection and agricultural conversion in karst forests by conducting field research on population status, habitat threats, and effective conservation activities to ensure long-term survival of the species in the transboundary area.
Manages the Ranger Station of Trung Khanh Species Habitat Conservation Area, conducting regular patrolling, gibbon population monitoring, habitat restoration, and law enforcement in partnership with NGOs to protect the last remaining Cao Vit gibbon population.
