Phuket volunteers wanted to help return captive gibbons to the wild

PHUKET: The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project located in the Khao Phra Thaew protected forest reserve in central Phuket is looking for volunteers to help hike supplies to an acclimatisation cage deep in the forest where a family of five gibbons will be released into the wild.

The gibbons were relocated to the acclimatisation cage on Sunday (Nov 22), explained Emma Le Cornu, an Australian working with the volunteer project.

“We have relocated a family of five gibbons that have been rescued from an abandoned zoo to its last stage at the acclimatisation cage before releasing them someday in February 2021. To aid with their reintegration, we will be hiking daily to the site of their new home, carrying essential supplies and food for this meaningful task,” she said.

“We are looking for passionate volunteers with an intermediate fitness level to join our team trek into the forest, helping us carry supplies and food” Emma added.

The trek will be through what is considered the last remaining rainforest in Phuket. Volunteers will need to hike three hours each way, covering a distance of about four kilometres with an elevation of 420 meters.” she noted.

“We start the trek at 7am and return to the starting point before 4pm,” she added.

In addition to carrying about three kilogrammes of supplies and food for gibbons, volunteers will be asked to help observe and gather research data about the state of the rainforest.

“The reserve is an untouched, wild jungle, you MUST always follow our instructions at all times,” Emma noted clearly.

Volunteers must be at least 18 years old with an “open-minded and smiling personality.”

Volunteers must be physically fit and have personal insurance covered in case of any accidents.

Fluency in English is required and the ability to speak Thai is a bonus.

“Bring your own food and water and insect spray. The dress code requires a long sleeved top, pants and boots. We are looking for at least two to three days’ commitment,” Emma explained.

While volunteering is free, a ฿2,500 registration fee is required to join the programme.

“This small fee can only feed just a little over half of our gibbons in care for one day. However, you will also be given orientation, a shirt, and access to the national park on your work day (which normally the Park will charge you 200 Baht an entry),” Emma said.

“It is our mission to help illegally captive gibbons regain their freedom,” explained Thanaphat Payakkaporn, secretary general of the Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand (WARF), under which the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project operates.

“Forty years ago, gibbons were poached to extinction in Phuket. These small apes not only lost their habitat due to deforestation, but have been wrongly poached and sold as pets and for tourism. Since 1992, the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project has been rescuing, rehabilitating and repopulating gibbons back into the wild,” he said.

If you want to help but are unable to physically or geographically, then please visit our website where you can donate, shop and even sponsor a gibbon. Please share this with your family and friends and spread the word.

“We believe every effort can go a long way in helping return Thailand’s most intelligent wildlife species back to where they belong… in nature,” he added.

To register to volunteer with the project, visit the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project website (click here) or call them at 088 590 9714. Enquiries can also be made through the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project Facebook page (Facebook: GibbonRehabilitationProject) or by email to grp@gibbonproject.org.

Yep, I was correct. Let others finance and do the work so that selfish people can get what they want without having to raise a sweat. K what is the difference between financing Greenpeace or those wanting to save Gibbons or any other species? None. Just sit back relax and let others provide the comforts and pleasures for you.

Jor12, Is voluntarily supporting environmental Greenpeace not a complete different issue from being a compulsory 2500 THB paying volunteer for 2-3 days, just releasing 5 gibbons only? Any Thai volunteers, as 2500 THB is for average Thai on Phuket 2-3 days income?

Greenpeace, let them do what they want as long they not ask me for my money. They can ask the tree huggers and hippies. Zoos are actually a business in Europe, same as in LOS by the way. Nothing in life is for free.

So I take you are against most visible environmental organization in the world as well...Greenpeace, that is funded by individual supporters and foundations, so that you can visit the zoos you so cherish to view the endangered species these civic and environmentally minded people can provide for your enjoyment without you having to raise a sweat.

So you basically need to pay 2500 THB and work for free 2 till 3 days 6 hours each day. Despite the fitness effect the hiking would have you are better of paying a gym for 2 month for 2.5K THB where you can visit every day. Anther rip off in LOS...

@Jor12. I never wrote that the Government has to pay for it. ( or anything I want). That was derailing writing of Dek. I questioned a Government contribution in this project. End of comments about this.

Kurt... perhaps you didn't understand...it's a volunteer project. If you don't want to give 2500 to help, as it is "over the top" then guess what...don't go. Let the government pay for anything you want.

" His personal fascination about Kurt and exploring PN for it is not healthy." Wow Kurt,what a fascinating diagnosis. But don't worry about my health. Illeism is something you should be more concerned about.

DeKaaskopp is just thick skinned sarcastic. He pretends to know everything zo very well about Kurt. So, he must well 'know' that it is not about well being of Kurt himself. His personal fascination about Kurt and exploring PN for it is not healthy. Does that reactive behavior need a platform?

Dek is derailing again and pull matters in his known obsessive personal frame. Always just reacting/complaining about certain peoples comments. Never write his own article comment. Oh, again, I expect nothing for myself. It's normal that people ask/suggest for changes/improvement from Governments. Nothing personal.

"The government is not providing me anything,and I don't expect her to do" Wrong Kurt. The Government provides you a lot. And you expect a lot too. Why else would you ask on here -every day -the government to do this or to do that,to change this or change that,improve this or that ? Actually you keep begging the government for something nonstop !

Jor12, I not understand why you knit "Government should" provide him with everything".. with the article subject. The Government is not providing me anything, and I don't expect her to do. although I join continuously 'civic duties'. But in this, to have to bring 2500 for a 2-3 day volunteering is over the hill. 'Registration' should be free.

Kurt,as none of the following attributes- smiling personality,open minded,physically fit and fluency in English- doesn't apply to you, you should not think about it anyway. For others, who do not care about spending a few baht, it might be a special experience.

Sorry, to ask from Volunteers, considering all they have to fit in with, ( own food and drinks, 2-3 days available, smiling personality, etc.), to ask a 'registration fee' of 2500 is over the hill. Must feel lucky no need to pay the dual entrance fee? A shame. Can WARF not hold up their pants with normal donations? What about Phuket Government contribution?

Phuket volunteers wanted to help return captive gibbons to the wild

Phuket volunteers wanted to help return captive gibbons to the wild

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