Tom, a 2 year-old gibbon rests in a hammock at the jungle school created by Bam and her team of volunteers.When Tom was an infant his mother was killed by car and she herself was also severely injured. Bam is teaching Tom how to live again in the wild. Gibbon Protection Society of Malaysia, Malaysia, 2019. Justin Mott / Kindred Guardians Project / We Animals

Gibbon nutrition

This course provide a brief overview of gibbon nutrition, including information on what gibbons eat in the wild, how captive diets can be formulated, as well as behavioural and welfare aspects of feeding gibbons in sanctuary settings. While it is not a strict per-requisite, we recommend that you take the Introduction to ape nutrition course first, especially if you are not familiar with animal nutrition.

This course was developed for veterinary and animal care professionals working in wildlife sanctuaries in gibbon range countries. The development of this course was supported by the Qato Foundation.

Introduction

By the end of this module, you will understand the conservation threats facing wild gibbons and recognise the critical role that appropriate nutrition plays in their rehabilitation and long-term survival.

Lessons

Gibbon biology and conservation Refresher: key nutrients and their role

What do gibbons eat in the wild?

By the end of this module, you will be able to describe the physiological adaptations of gibbons and identify the compositions, taxonomic differences, and vital fallback foods that make up their natural forest diets.

Lessons

Understanding wild gibbon diets Gibbon digestive anatomy and physiology Nutritional differences between gibbon species The composition of wild gibbon diets Gibbons, the gardeners of the forest

Feeding gibbons in human care

By the end of this module, you will know how to formulate a balanced captive diet using established nutritional guidelines, prioritising wild-type browse and vegetables over sugary commercial fruits to prevent diet-induced diseases.

Lessons

Understanding captive gibbon diets Not every fruit is made the same: wild vs cultivated fruits The importance of browse and wild fruits The composition of the diet Calculating the energy requirement Putting it all together – formulating the diet

Nutrition, behaviour and welfare

By the end of this module, you will be equipped to implement feeding strategies and complex foraging enrichment to stimulate natural behaviors, prolong feeding times, and manage difficult behavioural issues around feeding.

Lessons

Arboreal feeding Diet as enrichment Drinking water the gibbon way Managing social dynamics during feeding Behavioural monitoring and problem solving

Hand rearing

By the end of this module, you will understand the environmental requirements, surrogate formula calculations, and gradual weaning and socialisation protocols necessary for successfully hand-rearing orphaned neonates.

Lessons

Nutritional requirements of young gibbons The weaning process Preparing for an independent life

Nutritional aspects of release back to the wild

By the end of this module, you will know how to manage the dietary transitions required for soft-release acclimatisation and how to safely execute post-release provisioning for translocated individuals.

Lessons

Preparation for the release Soft vs hard release Post-release provisioning and monitoring