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The Gibbon Release & Research Centre is located the dense jungle of Northern Thailand, and is a unique project build by the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) in cooperation with the Department of National Parks and Mahidol University. The main objective of this project is to prepare gibbons for a return to the wild, to release them and follow up on their moves and behavior as they face the challenges of the wild once more.
The First Gibbons
On March 4th 2010 4 WFFT gibbons were transported to the Gibbon Release & Research Centre in Maehongson.
Kookoo is a 9 year old male gibbon who was found at the Damnoen Saduak floating market being used as a photo-prop. Bank and Dollar are a male and female gibbon, also both from the floating market. These two gibbons were taken away from the floating market in 2004 after the increasing number of police raids made life for their owners difficult. Ply is a 2 year old female gibbon born on the WFFT Island 8, part of the Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre at WFFT, and she is a child of Dollar and Kookoo. Ply was never handled by people until the day she moved to the Maehongson release center.
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The sights, sounds and smells of Maehongson will be very new to rehabilitating gibbons, and so before being released into the wild, the gibbons first have to spend some time in our large Pre-Release cages. After the gibbons have adjusted to their new surroundings, they will be finally released back into the wild in the near future. Volunteer DutiesVolunteers are very welcome at the Gibbon Release & Research Centre, but to ensure that volunteers are well trained before setting off into the jungle, all volunteers at this project must first spend a minimum of 2 weeks volunteering at the WFFT Wildlife Rescue Centre, Thailand. Here volunteers will be trained up to the level needed to volunteer at the Gibbon Release & Research Centre.
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Volunteers will be responsible for the food preparation, and feeding the gibbons in the Pre-Release cages. This will include wild fruit gathering and foraging for naturally occuring food in the local area. Volunteers will also create enrichments for the gibbons, and take part in a variety of ancillary jobs, such as cleaning food bowls, equipment and food preparation areas.
Volunteers will be required to undertake studies into the surrounding habitat of the gibbons, and will frequently be trekking into the jungle as part of this research. After gibbons have been released, a great deal of time will be spent monitoring them and their behaviour as they adapt to life in the wild.
Volunteer requirements
Volunteers with enthusiasm, compassion for animals, team spirit, and who are fit enough to work hard in a hot and humid climate are desired to assist with this Gibbon Release & Research Centre in Thailand. No animal experience is necessary, although representatives from relevant fields are more than welcome to contribute to the team.
Volunteers must be able to cope with the basic living arrangements at the project - accomodation at the project currently consists of tents and open sleeping areas, so volunteers must be prepared for these basic levels.
Again, a minimum of 2 weeks attendance at the WFFT Wildllife Rescue Centre, Thailand, is required to ensure that volunteers are fully trained before being allowed access to the Gibbon Release & Research Centre.
Application
You can ask for additional information about our projects, including any conditions for volunteering and trip costs. If you are interested in a volunteer position, please send an e-mail or letter of motivation via email to volunteer@wfft.org explaining your interest in the project, a brief paragraph about yourself and your proposed length of stay.
