Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand December 2014 / January 2015 | Page 45

Life & Travel rehabilitate white-handed gibbons back into their natural habitat. THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO HELP GRP DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY: 1. Do not purchase gibbons, or products derived from gibbons 2. Do not take photographs with illegal baby gibbons 3. Support the conservation of the rainforest 4. Become a volunteer for the GRP 5. Make a donation to the project GIBBON REHABILITATION PROJECT The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (GRP) was established in 1992 by Mr. Noppadol Preuksawan. The GRP is a unique animal welfare and conservation organisation, working to rehabilitate unwanted or confiscated gibbons from the pet trade and tourist industry and to reintroduce suitable candidates back into the wild. GRP’s rehabilitation site and Center for Conservation Education and Fund Raising are both located in the Khao Pra Theaw Non-Hunting Area at the Bang Pae Waterfall. They have split the gibbons into two locations. Location one is away from tourists visiting the Bang Pae Waterfall. Here you’ll find monkeys that are unable to live in close proximity with humans, due to past abuse by people. They are unfortunately unable to go back into the wild; however, they enjoy a better life in a cage with plenty of space and enough food and water. Close to the Center for Conservation Education and Fund Raising, there are several big cages where the gibbons live. The cages are so huge and natural looking, it seems as if the monkeys could walk out of the cage. The gibbons on this side of the park have the biggest chance of going back to the wild, as they don’t pose a danger to themselves or to people. Gibbons live in families and therefore need to be released together. GRP has been able to release several families back into the wild. There are three criteria for reintroduction to be considered successful. The gibbons should ideally: 1) Survive 10 years post-release 2) Maintain original pair bond 3) Raise three wild born babies past infancy Lately, GRP has been scouting other areas to release gibbons back into the wild, as there are several places in Thailand where wild gibbons have become extinct due to poaching. They have now found a site in Chiang Mai to release gibbons. This is an excellent step forward in developing a method to successfully For more information about the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project or to help them out, go to their website to see what you can do! CONTACT DETAILS The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project 104/3 Moo 3 Packlock, Phuket 83110, Thailand Tel: [phone] Website: http://www.gibbonproject.org Email: [email protected] There are so many ways we can help out in this world. If it’s not by donating money, it’s by giving our time or by raising money or awareness for a good cause. What do you do to make this world a better place? THAILAND.WANDERLUSTMAG.COMWANDERLUST  45