International Gibbon Day 2023: Significance, History & Interesting facts

Every year, October 24 marks the celebration of International Gibbon Day. It is a day to celebrate gibbons, a member of family of apes, and to raise awareness about the threats faced by these endangered primates. The day was established by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2015 to draw worldwide attention towards these beautiful species. Let us learn a little bit more about the International Gibbon Day 2023 such as its significance, history, celebration, etc from this article.

International Gibbon Day 2023 Date

Find below the schedule International Gibbon day in 2023 and coming years:

International Gibbon Day 2023

Significance of International Gibbon Day

Gibbons are a member of ape family but and are often called as lesser apes or small apes. However, these animals are often confused with monkeys. These are among the rarest of the primates and due to habitat loss caused by forest destruction and fragmentation, there are currently under the danger of extinction. As a matter of fact, ll recognized 19 species of gibbon are on the verge on getting extinct. These are rare and beautiful primates that deserve to be better known and celebrated. Also, there is an urgent need to draw worldwide focus towards their condition. With this view in mind, International Gibbon Day is being celebrated on October 24, 2023.

Also check:

History of International Gibbon Day Observation

Celebration of International Gibbon Day was declared by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with the aim to draw focus on their endangerment and possible extinction. The Primate Specialist Group’s Section on Small Apes (SSA) of IUCN is formed with the objective to raise the profile of gibbons in zoos and similar venues. The union also declared 2015 the International Year of the Gibbon to strengthen their cause. IUCN is itself a long-time member of International Primate Protection League (IPPL), a non-profit animal welfare organization that works towards the conservation and protection of primates.

How is International Gibbon Day celebrated?

On October 24, various events are organized around the world to educate people about gibbons and their unique place among the primates. From the courtesy of the IUCN’s Species Survival Commission (SSA), there are several ways to celebrate the day with some really cool ideas. You can create your own gibbon suit or print your own gibbon mask with the help of toolkit from SSA’s website. Teaching and educating others about gibbons and encouraging them to observe the day is also a nice way to celebrate International Gibbon Day.

You can listen or download to the 2010 remix of the 1970s classic song ‘The Funky Gibbon’. This is not just a cool song for you to enjoy but when you listen to this song on Amazon, iTunes, or Spotify, a donation is made to IPPL to help them care for gibbons all year long. You can also adopt a gibbon from the IPPL’s sanctuary need daily care and make donations for its care and protection.

Interesting facts about Gibbons

On the occasion of this International Gibbon Day, here are some interesting facts about  gibbons.

1. Gibbons communicate by singing and their voices carry over long distances.
2. The Skywalker Hoolock gibbon was discovered in 2017 in Myanmar and named for Luke Skywalker from Star Wars.
3. Although monkeys can swing from branches, the gibbons can do so at high speed (agility) and can cover as wide as 15 meters (50 feet) with a single swinging leap.
4. Through branching, gibbons can travel up to 56 kilometers (35 miles) in an hour.
5. Gibbons are the fastest of all mammals that live in trees.
6. Due to their small and slender body shape, gibbons are often mistaken as small monkeys.
7. Since they cannot swim, they avoid being near water.
8. Gibbons are often killed for food or sold as exotic pets, thus making poaching a serious problem for them.
9. Many species of gibbons are threatened or endangered due to habitat loss as well.
10. Gibbons were the first apes to diverge from the common ancestor of humans and apes

FAQs