China's Yunnan strengthens ecological protection to build safeguard for western black crested gibbons

A western black crested gibbon is seen on a tree in the Ailao Mountain in Zhenyuan Yi and Hani and Lahu Autonomous County of Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 21, 2026. The Wuliang and Ailao Mountains area of Yunnan is an important habitat for the western black crested gibbon, a critically endangered gibbon species under first-class national protection in China. Local authorities have kept strengthening the ecological conservation and restoration and enhancing habitat management, patrolling and monitoring to build a solid safeguard for the western black crested gibbons to breed and thrive. (Photo by Wang Yangjing/Xinhua)

A western black crested gibbon is seen on a tree in the Ailao Mountain in Zhenyuan Yi and Hani and Lahu Autonomous County of Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 21, 2026. The Wuliang and Ailao Mountains area of Yunnan is an important habitat for the western black crested gibbon, a critically endangered gibbon species under first-class national protection in China. Local authorities have kept strengthening the ecological conservation and restoration and enhancing habitat management, patrolling and monitoring to build a solid safeguard for the western black crested gibbons to breed and thrive. (Photo by Wang Yangjing/Xinhua)

A western black crested gibbon is seen on a tree in the Ailao Mountain in Zhenyuan Yi and Hani and Lahu Autonomous County of Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 21, 2026. The Wuliang and Ailao Mountains area of Yunnan is an important habitat for the western black crested gibbon, a critically endangered gibbon species under first-class national protection in China. Local authorities have kept strengthening the ecological conservation and restoration and enhancing habitat management, patrolling and monitoring to build a solid safeguard for the western black crested gibbons to breed and thrive. (Photo by Wang Yangjing/Xinhua)

A western black crested gibbon is seen on a tree in the Ailao Mountain in Zhenyuan Yi and Hani and Lahu Autonomous County of Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 21, 2026. The Wuliang and Ailao Mountains area of Yunnan is an important habitat for the western black crested gibbon, a critically endangered gibbon species under first-class national protection in China. Local authorities have kept strengthening the ecological conservation and restoration and enhancing habitat management, patrolling and monitoring to build a solid safeguard for the western black crested gibbons to breed and thrive. (Photo by Wang Yangjing/Xinhua)

Western black crested gibbons are seen in the Wuliang Mountain National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 18, 2026. The Wuliang and Ailao Mountains area of Yunnan is an important habitat for the western black crested gibbon, a critically endangered gibbon species under first-class national protection in China. Local authorities have kept strengthening the ecological conservation and restoration and enhancing habitat management, patrolling and monitoring to build a solid safeguard for the western black crested gibbons to breed and thrive. (Photo by Shi Zhihong/Xinhua)

Forest rangers track traces and record locations of the western black crested gibbons in the Wuliang Mountain National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 21, 2026. The Wuliang and Ailao Mountains area of Yunnan is an important habitat for the western black crested gibbon, a critically endangered gibbon species under first-class national protection in China. Local authorities have kept strengthening the ecological conservation and restoration and enhancing habitat management, patrolling and monitoring to build a solid safeguard for the western black crested gibbons to breed and thrive. (Photo by Shi Zhihong/Xinhua)

Forest rangers track traces and record locations of the western black crested gibbons in the Wuliang Mountain National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 21, 2026. The Wuliang and Ailao Mountains area of Yunnan is an important habitat for the western black crested gibbon, a critically endangered gibbon species under first-class national protection in China. Local authorities have kept strengthening the ecological conservation and restoration and enhancing habitat management, patrolling and monitoring to build a solid safeguard for the western black crested gibbons to breed and thrive. (Photo by Shi Zhihong/Xinhua)