Political-Ecological Dimensions of Silvery Gibbon Conservation Efforts

Abstract

An emerging subset of social scientists is becoming immersed in approaches that combine ethnographic engagement with traditional ethological/ecological studies. In these endeavors the distinction between "human worlds" and "nature" is challenged and multispecies entanglements become central aspects of anthropogenic ecologies. In this article, we examine human social interactions and efforts toward understanding the ecological condition and plight of the silvery gibbon (Hylobates moloch) in West Java, Indonesia. The endangered silvery gibbon persists in roughly thirty forest fragments across West Java with a conservative population estimate of 1,000-1,500 individuals remaining. In addition to the biophysical margins they occupy, these small apes have been further marginalized in both conservation circles and evolutionary debates, when juxtaposed with the great apes. We explore how these multiple relationships are being expressed through the emergence of international and local silvery gibbon conservation at the Leuweung Sancang Nature Reserve. We combine long-term ecological monitoring with a qualitative approach to the lived experiences of people who interact with the forest and its denizens. Spiritual beliefs, livelihood practices, and multiscale interventions have all shaped the biophysical and social landscapes in ways that have long-term effects for future conservation efforts. As such, the value and significance of the terms "silvery gibbon" and "endangered ape" undergo continuous and consequential determination and redetermination. While economic concerns and managerial perspectives dominate the discourse on conservation in this region, we contend that without a richer understanding of sociocultural realities, they are incomplete descriptors of the factors shaping gibbon populations.