Making Toys for Gibbons, 2023 International Gibbon Day Events

Gibbons are one of the most endangered species in the world. Only five gibbon species are left in the wild in China, and all of them are facing devastating threats. To celebrate the International Gibbon Day, Shanghai Roots & Shoots, Shanghai Zoo and Nanning Zoo collaborated together organizing the Making Toy for Gibbon series educational events, to raise the awareness about the gibbons and conservation work.

More than 60 students as the representatives of each team attended the on-site trainings, to learn about the gibbon and enrichment, and also visited and observed the gibbons living at Shanghai Zoo. They later team worked to brainstorm and design, and later created their enrichment toy for the gibbons. On October 21, over 120 participants from 15 groups have made the enrichment toys, educational posters and other display materials to present at Shanghai Zoo. They invited the visitors to vote for their toy and play the games about the gibbons at their booths.

Taking full account of the votes by the visitors and the scores rated by the zookeeper, three teams were selected as the top ones, Langhua Duoduo team, Wenshi Roots and Shoots group from Shanghai Wenlai Experimental School and Yuanman Chenggong team from Shanghai Luhang Middle School North School.

The events were also happening inside the Educational Center. In the morning, Dr. Changyong Ma from Guangxi Normal University was invited to speak for the audience about the gibbons. He talked about the basics of the species, their habitat, the behaviors and the conservation work.

In the afternoon, enrichment workshop was organized for the visitors to make enrichment toy by themselves. Mrs. Xia from Shanghai Zoo introduced what enrichment is and how to create a better living space for the animals at the zoo. The staff from Shanghai Roots & Shoots taught the participants to make an enrichment toy step by step. Two choices were available, a Fire Hose Square Knot Browser and a Monkey’s Fist Knot for the gibbon to play with. The completed enrichment toys made by the visitors were kept and will soon be used at Shanghai Zoo.

The month-long series events were successfully completed. 15 teams presented their creative works. The visitors and experts of Shanghai Zoo gave great feedbacks. The participants enjoyed the process of learning and engaged in every part during the campaign events. At Nanning Zoo, another 6 school groups completed their enrichment toys and presented on October 22 to the public. On that day, Mr. Songhe Huang, the author of the book, Following the Traces of Cao Vit Gibbon in the Mystery Place, shared his stories of photographing the gibbons in the wild.

Special thanks to Shanghai Zoo and Nanning Zoo for supporting the International Gibbon Day events!