It's me!

Research is progressing well. Of course there are difficulties, as can be expected with any fieldwork. I have not been able to get any good photos of gibbons so far. Perhaps my Canon Powershot is not the best quality for the photos I want. The forest is extremely dense with a lot of undergrowth and vines which make it difficult to move quickly. The canopy of the forest is thick and does not allow much light to reach the ground.

Even during the day it is dark under the canopy

This makes it dark even when it is sunny out. The steep terrain combined with fast moving gibbons means we have to move quickly up and down hill. I am relieved when the gibbons decide to rest because it means I can too!

Taking a break

At the top of the hill we can see far in many directions and can even see other gibbon groups travelling around.

Obstructed view from the top of the hill

The stream that we use as our main trails has dried up considerably with the end of the rainy season

The rainy season is officially over and there has not been a speck of rain for 3 weeks! It is quite a relief to be able to dry wet clothes and walk around without getting covered in mud.

The road development is progressing quickly. Several segments are paved now.

Paved segment of the new road

On the way to the field site we got a great view of Phou Hin Boum NPA a protected area with awesome karst formations.

View of Phou Hin Boum NPA

In other news:

Alan Mootnick who founded and directed the Gibbon Conservation Center, died Friday the 4th of November. This is very sad news. I visited the center in 2007 in Santa Clarita California, which houses an astounding variety of gibbons, many of them retirees of medical research. Alan died from complications after heart surgery. It is not yet clear who will take over the center.

http://www.the-signal.com/m/section/36/article/53962/

http://www.gibboncenter.org/