Picture of Nabalu the newborn gibbon. PIC courtesy of GCS.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has made history with the first known birth of a male gibbon in captivity, announced Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew.
The unprecedented birth on May 8 of a North Bornean Gibbon, scientifically known as Hylobates funereus and locally called 'Kalawot', marks a significant milestone.
It is believed to be the first captive birth of its kind globally.
Sabah-born primatologist Mariani Ramli, Founder and President of the Gibbon Conservation Society (GCS), gave Liew the honour of naming the baby gibbon born to parents Candyman and Manis.
The pair were rescued at the Borneo Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (Borneo GReP) site in Kg Kiau Bersatu, Kota Belud.
"The birth is a historic first for this endangered species in captivity at a rehabilitation centre. I chose the name 'Nabalu' (meaning Spirit of the Mountain) for this baby gibbon," Liew said, adding that she symbolically adopted the infant.
The Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, through the Sabah Wildlife Department (JHL), supports the Society's gibbon conservation, rehabilitation, and re-wilding project.
Newborn Nabalu clings tightly to his mother, Manis, while his father, Candyman, keeps a lookout for potential danger (PR, Photo by courtesy of GCS).
Founded in 2013, GCS is a non-profit organisation dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and re-wilding gibbons, which are often victims of the illegal wildlife pet trade. Borneo GReP was established in 2022.
Mariani, Director of Operations at Borneo GReP, stated that Nabalu and his parents will be released back into the wild as a family when Nabalu is over six months old, demonstrating readiness for re-wilding.
Successful gibbon re-wilding requires meeting criteria set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Best Practices Guidelines, including brachiation, minimal time on the ground, proper socialisation, and successful co-parenting.
The release site must be agreed upon by all stakeholders, including KePKAS, JHL, GCS, and the local community.
Liew congratulated Mariani on her international recognition in gibbon conservation, having been named World Female Ranger Ambassador for Resilience twice, in 2024 and 2025.
"With your passion and relentless effort, you have made Sabah and Malaysia proud of your leadership in gibbon conservation through your Society," Liew remarked.
The two gibbon rehabilitation sites in Sabah and Pahang are Malaysia's only IUCN accredited gibbon rehabilitation project centres.
Notably, GCS owns, runs, and manages the Borneo gibbon rehabilitation project site (Borneo GReP) in Kota Belud and the site in Raub, Pahang, is managed by Operations Director Ana Jonessy.
Sabah Wildlife Department (JHL) Director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar, present during the courtesy call, noted that gibbons rescued by the department are handed over to Borneo GReP for rehabilitation.
