Gibbons, the smallest and fastest of all the apes, live in tropical and sub-tropical forests in  Southeast  Asia.  Like  all  apes,  they  are  extremely  intelligent,  with  distinct personalities and strong family bonds. Unfortunately, the current conservation status of gibbon species is alarming; all 20 species are at a high risk of extinction. Since 1900, gibbon  distribution  and  populations  have  declined  dramatically,  with  only  small populations in tropical rainforests. 2019 and 2020 global gibbon red list assessments show that populations of 19 of the world’s 20 gibbon species continue to decline, with only Hainan gibbon populations maintaining a steady increase. As reported by the IUCN, gibbons are one of the most threatened families of primates. The conservation of  gibbons  and  their  habitats  is  of  great  importance  to  global  ecosystems  and biodiversity  conservation.  Therefore,  gibbon  conservation  requires  urgent  global attention.

During the International Gibbon Day 2020  event, representatives  from 20 gibbon conservation  organizations  came  together  for  the  first  time  to  discuss  gibbon conservation.  During  the  event,  Eco  Foundation  Global,  the  Hainan  Institute  of National Park, the IUCN Species Survival Commission Section on Small Apes (IUCN SSA),  the  Zoological  Society  of London  (above  in  alphabetical  order)  and  other organizations jointly launched the Global Gibbon Conservation Network Initiative that has been published on the IUCN website since  17 December 2020, calling on the world to join forces to establish a Global Gibbon Network (GGN).