Summary

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Southern yellow-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus gabriellae) are present in Cat Tien National Park.
It has been estimated that a minimum population of 149 groups occurs in the park.
The gibbon population trend is unknown.
The site has a total size of 738.8 km².
Key threats to gibbons are agricultural encroachment, logging, and the illegal pet trade.
Conservation activities have focused on boundary demarcation, awareness raising, and release of confiscated gibbons.

Site characteristics

Cat Tien National Park is located in southern Vietnam. The park is one of the most secure in the country, in terms of its capacity to protect biodiversity. The park and its surrounding area contain one of the two largest populations of southern yellow-cheeked gibbons (Rawson et al. 2011). Due to its remarkable biological diversity, the park was listed by UNESCO as the 411th biosphere Reserve Zone in the world in 2001 ([https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5070/ UNESCO).

Table 1. Basic site information for Cat Tien National Park

Species	'Nomascus gabriellae
Area	738.8 km²
Coordinates	Lat: 11.424111 , Lon: 107.210672
Type of site	Protected area (National Park)
Habitat types	Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest
Type of governance

IUCN habitat categories Site designations

Ape status

There are at least 300 gibbon groups in just two areas: Bu Gia Map National Park and Cat Tien National Park and their respective surrounding forests (Rawson et al. 2011). At Cat Tien National Park, the population is supplemented by gibbons in Dong Nai Nature Reserve and adjacent state forest enterprises. The first population estimates were made until surveys were conducted in 2004-2005. In this census, 149 groups were detected at an estimated density of 0.52 (±0.47) to 0.72 (±0.08) groups km2 (Rawson et al. 2011). Based on the raw data of Kenyon (2007), the total population of the park may exceed 300 groups (derived by applying a correction factor of 0.92 to Kenyon’s raw counts, and re-calculating gibbon density assuming a 1.5 km listening radius and stratified by park sector) (Rawson et al. 2011).

Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Cat Tien National Park

Species	Year	Total number indiv. (95% CI)	Total number groups (95% CI)	Density [groups/km²] (95% CI)	Area	Method	Source	Comments	A.P.E.S. database ID	NA	NA
Nomascus gabriellae	2004-2005		0.52 (±0.47) to 0.72 (±0.08)	149		Cat Tien National Park	Unknown		Kenyon 2007 as cited by Rawson et al. 2011
Nomascus gabriellae	2010	Present				Cat Tien National Park	Unknown		Rawson et al. 2011

Threats

There is a demand for captive gibbons, many of which are sourced from Cat Tien, Dong Nai Nature Reserve, and surrounding forests (Rawson et al. 2011). Every live gibbon in captivity represents many gibbons killed in the process. Based on interviews with traders, at least 24 gibbons were traded in Dong Nai Province in 2007-2008, which were sourced from Cat Tien NP and Dong Nai NR (Rawson et al. 2011). Habitat loss and degradation are also main threats impacting southern yellow-cheeked gibbons in Cat Tien. Agricultural encroachment and illegal logging have resulted in reduced availability of habitat, connectivity between forest blocks, and availability of food trees (Rawson et al. 2011).

Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Cat Tien National Park

Category	Specific threats	Threat level	Description	Year of threat
10 Geological events		Absent
2 Agriculture & aquaculture	2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Large areas within the park are zoned as agricultural land where park management has no authority; shifting cultivation is also present (Rawson et al. 2011).	Ongoing (2011)
5 Biological resource use	5.3 Logging & wood harvesting	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Some illegal logging occurs at the site; most of the park has been commercially logged (Rawson et al. 2011).	Ongoing (2011)
12 Other threat	12.1 Other threat	Medium (30-70% of population affected)	Capture of gibbons for illegal pet trade. Gibbons are caught by shooting mothers who fall clutching their infants. If they survive the fall, the infants are taken (Rawson et al. 2011).	Ongoing (2011)
1 Residential & commercial development	1.1 Residential areas	Present (unknown severity)	Ongoing infrastructure development in and around the area is reducing the size and quality of gibbon habitat and is increasing access for hunters (Rawson et al. 2011).	Ongoing (2011)
3 Energy production & mining		Unknown
4 Transportation & service corridors		Unknown
6 Human intrusions & disturbance		Unknown
7 Natural system modifications		Unknown
8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases		Unknown
9 Pollution		Unknown
11 Climate change & severe weather		Unknown

IUCN Threats list

Conservation activities

Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Cat Tien National Park

Category	Specific activity	Description	Year of activity
4 Education & awareness	4.1 Educate local communities about apes and sustainable use	Community awareness campaigns were conducted around the park including 22 schools in five districts, which focused on gibbon conservation (Rawson et al. 2011).	2004-2005
5 Protection & restoration	5.2 Legally protect ape habitat	The site is a National Park.	Ongoing (2022)
5 Protection & restoration	5.5 Demarcate and enforce boundaries of protected areas	Boundary demarcation (Rawson et al. 2011).	1998-2004
6 Species management	6.8 Reintroduction of apes (captively-bred or rehabilitated indviduals)	In 2008, the Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre was established in the park. The centre’s objective is to house confiscated primates prior to release in the park (Rawson et al. 2011).	Ongoing (2011)

Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)

Challenges

Table 5. Challenges reported for Cat Tien National Park

Challenges	Specific challenges	Source	Year(s)
	Not reported

Enablers

Table 6. Enablers reported for Cat Tien National Park

Enablers	Specific enablers	Source	Year(s)
1 Site management
2 Resources and capacity
3 Engaged community
4 Institutional support
5 Ecological context
6 Safety and stability

Research activities

Documented behaviours

Table 7. Behaviours documented for Cat Tien National Park

Behavior	Source
Not reported

Exposure to climate change impacts

External links

Relevant datasets

References

Rawson, B. M, Insua-Cao, P., Nguyen Manh Ha, Van Ngoc Thinh, Hoang Minh Duc, Mahood, S., Geissmann, T. and Roos, C. 2011. The Conservation Status of Gibbons in Vietnam. Fauna & Flora International/Conservation International, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Kenyon, M. A. (2007). The ecology of the golden-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus gabriellae) in Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam. PhD thesis. Anatomy School. University of Cambridge, Cambridge.

Page created by: A.P.E.S. Wiki team Date: NA

Cat Tien National Park

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