尋找海南長臂猿──第一次大調查

華夏大地

海南長臂猿保育是本園中國保育部成立後第一個正式開展的保育項目。當年一些艱苦但讓人回味的陳年舊事,在「尋找海南長臂猿」系列中讓我們來一一舊事重提,說不定能帶來新的啟發。

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2001年,我們完成了為期3年的華南林區生物多樣性快速調查後,召開一個內部會議選出最有急切性開展在地保護項目的華南物種。那時候華南虎已多年沒有蹤影,要挑“最有滅絕威脅”的動物,就非海南長臂猿莫屬。而且,了解到海南還有那麼豐富卻受到威脅的生物多樣性後,我們都認為在海南開展保護項目刻不容緩。

2003年4月,我們受海南省林業廳邀請,參與海南長臂猿的保育工作。我們馬上密鑼緊鼓籌備海南長臂猿種群數量大調查,並召開一個海南長臂猿保育研討會。同年10月的大調查,我們邀請了長年研究長臂猿的瑞士專家托馬斯 (Thomas Geissmann) 博士指導調查工作,在16天調查中確認長臂猿數量為2群,共13隻。大家也可以想像,我們項目剛開始,便要面對如此危急關頭的複雜心情!

但肯定的是,經過很多人、很多年的默默守護,海南長臂猿至今已經發展到5群,35隻以上,總算可以鬆一口氣。以下就讓我們回顧一下2003年大調查時的精彩畫面。

 

Mother and child of Hainan Gibbon. Prior to our 2003 survey, such photographs are few and far between.

Mother and child of Hainan Gibbon. Prior to our 2003 survey, such photographs are few and far between.

海南長臂猿母子;在這次調查以前,海南長臂猿的照片並不多

 

Male Hainan Gibbon

雄性海南長臂猿          

 

Mt Futouling in Hainan Bawangling National Nature Reserve is the last refuge of the Hainan Gibbon

霸王嶺國家級自然保護區內的斧頭嶺是海南長臂猿的救命稻草

 

The dense forests like this are what the Hainan Gibbon need to survive

這種幾乎讓人「不見天日」的茂密森林是海南長臂猿賴以生存的環境

 

The gibbon survey team, made up of more than 40 members, are led by Dr Bosco Chan of KFBG (far left) and renowned gibbon expert Dr Thomas Geissmann from Switzerland (second from left).   

四十多人組成的調查團隊由年輕的陳輩樂博士(左)和來自瑞士的長臂猿專家托馬斯·吉斯曼教授帶領

  

Camp life: This is where we rest, host meetings, meditate and hang laundry.

休息、開會、沉思、晾衣服的萬用野外基地

 

Soaring trees with buttress roots tall enough to hide a human

比人還高的大板根

 

This frog Limnonectes fragilis is endemic to Hainan

海南特有的脆皮大頭蛙

 

Chinese Bamboo Snake (Pseudoxenodon karlschmidti)

崇安斜鱗蛇

 

Weevil

象鼻蟲                      

 

Blue-rumped Pitta

稀有的藍背八色鶇

 

Moth caterpillar from the Limacodidae family

四眼外星怪物?原來是某種刺蛾幼蟲

 

Cymbidium insigne

美花蘭

 

Flowers of the Burmannia plant

寄生於植物根部的水玉簪

  

Traditional houses of the Li ethnic minority

Traditional houses of the Li ethnic minority

當地黎族傳統的「手編」房子

 

The population census and workshop of Hainan Gibbon are important first steps of our long-term conservation project. We want to give a big shout out to everyone who were part of it, and especially those people who are still working on the frontlines to date.

The population census and workshop of Hainan Gibbon are important first steps of our long-term conservation project. We want to give a big shout out to everyone who were part of it, and especially those people who are still working on the frontlines to date.

2003年的海南長臂猿野外調查及保護行動研討會為海南長臂猿保護揭開重要的一頁。參與了這些活動的人員都功不可沒,我們尤其是對至今依然堅守在前線的監測隊員給於崇高的敬意