Nabalu to be free after 6 months

Published on: Friday, June 13, 2025
Published on: Fri, Jun 13, 2025 Text Size: Liew (centre), flanked by Mohd Soffian (on her left) and Mariani, naming the baby gibbon (INSET) 'Nabalu'. Kota Kinabalu: The first birth of a North Bornean male gibbon in captivity on May 8 was named Nabalu by State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew. Sabah-born primatologist Mariani Ramli, who is the Founder and President of Gibbon Conservation Society (GCS), accorded Liew the honour to name the baby born to parents Candyman and Manis (rescued years ago) at the Borneo Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (Borneo GReP) site at Kg Kiau Bersatu, Kota Belud.
Advertisement North Bornean gibbons are also known as 'Kalawot'. Founded in 2013, GCS is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and re-wilding (or release back into the wild) of Malaysia's forgotten singing apple - gibbons - who are often victims of the illegal wildlife pet trade. Borneo GReP was established in 2022. 'The birth is a historic first for this endangered species in captivity at a rehabilitation centre. I picked the name 'Nabalu' (meaning Spirit of the Mountain) for this baby gibbon by drawing names provided by Mariani when she paid a courtesy call on me recently,' Liew said, while agreeing to adopt the infant (symbolically). 'The Ministry through, the Sabah Wildlife Department (JHL), supports the Society's gibbon conservation, rehabilitation and re-wilding project.' Mariani, who is the Director of Operations at Borneo GReP, said Nabalu, together with its parents, would be released back to the wild when it is more than six months old. 'With Nabalu's birth, both Manis and Candyman have proven their readiness for 're-wilding',' she said. Successful gibbon 're-wilding' requires fulfilment of all the criteria for release based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Best Practices Guidelines For The Rehabilitation and Translocation of Gibbons. She said these include Brachiation (which means natural swinging from branch to branch), Minimal Time on the Ground (less than 5pc of time, more than 40pc in the upper canopy), Proper Socialisation (at least 3pc of time grooming and bonding with others), and Paired with a Child (that is, successful mating and co-parenting of offspring). The Minister congratulated Mariani on having gained international recognition for her gibbon conservation and rehabilitation work in Malaysia under the auspices of GCS. Notably, the primatologist was appointed as World Female Ranger Ambassador for Resilience twice - in 2024 and 2025, and the only Malaysian at that. 'You have made Sabah and Malaysia proud of your leadership in gibbon conservation through your Society,' Liew remarked. 'We also take pride in the acknowledgement that the two gibbon rehabilitation project sites in Sabah and Pahang, respectively, constitute Malaysia's only IUCN accredited gibbon rehabilitation project centres.' Not many are aware of the existence of GCS. It owns, runs, and manages the Borneo gibbon rehabilitation project site (Borneo GReP) in Kota Belud. The site in Raub (Pahang) is under the care of Operations Director Ana Jonessy, also a Sabahan. Director of the Sabah Wildlife Department (JHL) Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar, who was present during the courtesy call, said gibbons rescued by the department were handed over to Borneo GReP for rehabilitation purposes. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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Nabalu to be free after 6 months

Published on: Friday, June 13, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 13, 2025 Text Size: Liew (centre), flanked by Mohd Soffian (on her left) and Mariani, naming the baby gibbon (INSET) 'Nabalu'. Kota Kinabalu: The first birth of a North Bornean male gibbon in captivity on May 8 was named Nabalu by State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew. Sabah-born primatologist Mariani Ramli, who is the Founder and President of Gibbon Conservation Society (GCS), accorded Liew the honour to name the baby born to parents Candyman and Manis (rescued years ago) at the Borneo Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (Borneo GReP) site at Kg Kiau Bersatu, Kota Belud. Advertisement North Bornean gibbons are also known as 'Kalawot'. Founded in 2013, GCS is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and re-wilding (or release back into the wild) of Malaysia's forgotten singing apple - gibbons - who are often victims of the illegal wildlife pet trade. Borneo GReP was established in 2022. 'The birth is a historic first for this endangered species in captivity at a rehabilitation centre. I picked the name 'Nabalu' (meaning Spirit of the Mountain) for this baby gibbon by drawing names provided by Mariani when she paid a courtesy call on me recently,' Liew said, while agreeing to adopt the infant (symbolically). 'The Ministry through, the Sabah Wildlife Department (JHL), supports the Society's gibbon conservation, rehabilitation and re-wilding project.' Mariani, who is the Director of Operations at Borneo GReP, said Nabalu, together with its parents, would be released back to the wild when it is more than six months old. 'With Nabalu's birth, both Manis and Candyman have proven their readiness for 're-wilding',' she said. Successful gibbon 're-wilding' requires fulfilment of all the criteria for release based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Best Practices Guidelines For The Rehabilitation and Translocation of Gibbons. She said these include Brachiation (which means natural swinging from branch to branch), Minimal Time on the Ground (less than 5pc of time, more than 40pc in the upper canopy), Proper Socialisation (at least 3pc of time grooming and bonding with others), and Paired with a Child (that is, successful mating and co-parenting of offspring). The Minister congratulated Mariani on having gained international recognition for her gibbon conservation and rehabilitation work in Malaysia under the auspices of GCS. Notably, the primatologist was appointed as World Female Ranger Ambassador for Resilience twice - in 2024 and 2025, and the only Malaysian at that. 'You have made Sabah and Malaysia proud of your leadership in gibbon conservation through your Society,' Liew remarked. 'We also take pride in the acknowledgement that the two gibbon rehabilitation project sites in Sabah and Pahang, respectively, constitute Malaysia's only IUCN accredited gibbon rehabilitation project centres.' Not many are aware of the existence of GCS. It owns, runs, and manages the Borneo gibbon rehabilitation project site (Borneo GReP) in Kota Belud. The site in Raub (Pahang) is under the care of Operations Director Ana Jonessy, also a Sabahan. Director of the Sabah Wildlife Department (JHL) Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar, who was present during the courtesy call, said gibbons rescued by the department were handed over to Borneo GReP for rehabilitation purposes. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia

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Born to be wild: Nabalu the newborn gibbon. — Photo courtesy of GCS KOTA KINABALU: Born to a couple that were once victims of poaching, it was a birth like no other, kept hush-hush to monitor the infant and to allow his first-time parents to bond with him. And now, Nabalu (spirit of the mountain) has been revealed publicly, a gibbon believed to be the first in the world to be born in captivity. Since his birth on May 8 at the Borneo Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (Borneo GReP) site in Kota Belud, Nabalu is like any other newborn. 'He likes to cling on to his mother,' said primatologist Mariani Ramli, who is the founder and president of Gibbon Conservation Society (GCS). Nabalu's parents are Candyman and Manis, both of whom were rescued several years ago and rehabilitated at Borneo GReP. In a statement, GCS said the story of Candyman and Manis was one of healing and resilience. 'Before their rehabilitation, they experienced prolonged captivity – a direct result of poaching and the pet trade that continues to devastate wild gibbon populations. 'Like many others, they were likely taken from the forest as infants after their families were killed – a common practice in which poachers slaughter adult gibbons to capture a single baby,' it said. Candyman had exhibited severe behaviours such as relentless pacing and rocking for hours, which were signs of trauma from prolonged isolation. Manis, on the other hand, was tense and fearful. 'Today, Candyman is relaxed, alert and confident, while Manis is affectionate, playful and calm. And now, they are parents to the world's first-ever hylobates funereus (north Bornean gibbon) baby born in rehabilitation,' Mariani said. She said Nabalu, once he is more than six-months-old, will be released into the wild with his parents. She said that successful gibbon rewilding requires the fulfilment of all the criteria for release based on International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guide­lines. These include brachiation (natural swinging from branch to branch), minimal time on the ground (less than 5% of the time, more than 40% in the upper canopy), proper socialisation (at least 3% of time grooming and bonding with others), and paired with a child (from a successful mating and co-parenting of offspring), she said. According to GCS, the birth of Nabalu is significant given that his species is listed as endangered by the IUCN. 'Nabalu not only reflects the sacredness and strength of Mount Kinabalu, and embodies resilience, as well as hope for the future of Borneo's biodiversity and wildlife, but also underscores the urgency of protecting what remains of their native habitat.' Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew said the ministry, through the Sabah Wildlife Department, will support gibbon conservation and rehabilitation. Liew congratulated Mariani who has earned international recognition for her gibbon conservation and rehabilitation work in Malaysia under the auspices of GCS. For instance, Mariani was twice named World Female Ranger Ambassador for Resilience – in 2024 and 2025 – and the only Malaysian at that. 'With your passion and relentless effort, you have made Sabah and Malaysia proud of your leadership in gibbon conservation through your society,' Liew said.