Grueter Cyril C, Jiang Xuelong, Konrad Roger, Fan Pengfei, Guan Zhenhua, Geissmann Thomas
Int J Primatol. 2009 Aug;30(4):553-567. doi: 10.1007/s10764-009-9360-3. Epub 2009 Jul 7.
The Nangunhe Nature Reserve in Southwest Yunnan (PRC) has long been presumed to be the last stronghold of lar (or white-handed) gibbons (Hylobates lar) in China and the likely last place of occurrence of Hylobates lar yunnanensis. We conducted a comprehensive survey to assess the status of lar gibbons at Nangunhe. We found no visual or auditory evidence of them still residing at the reserve and therefore tentatively conclude that lar gibbons have become extinct in China. It appears that large-scale destruction of primary forests in the 1960s and 1970s brought about an initial decline in their numbers, and subsequent uncontrolled hunting has resulted in their extirpation. The situation for the six Chinese ape taxa is nothing less than disastrous, with 1 taxon assumed to have become extinct during the last few years, 1 taxon not having been confirmed since the 1980s, and 2 species at the very brink of extinction with only tens of individuals remaining in China.
中国云南西南部的南滚河自然保护区长期以来一直被认为是白掌长臂猿在中国的最后一个据点，也是云南白掌长臂猿可能最后的栖息地。我们进行了一项全面调查，以评估南滚河白掌长臂猿的现状。我们没有发现它们仍栖息在保护区的视觉或听觉证据，因此初步得出结论，白掌长臂猿在中国已经灭绝。看来，20世纪60年代和70年代原始森林的大规模破坏导致其数量初步下降，随后不受控制的捕猎导致它们灭绝。中国的六种猿类的情况极其糟糕，其中1个分类单元在过去几年中被认为已经灭绝，1个分类单元自20世纪80年代以来未得到确认，还有2个物种濒临灭绝，在中国仅剩下几十只个体。
