The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project

The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project is a program dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing gibbons back into the wild. It was founded in 1992 with the participation of the Royal Forest Department of Thailand, the WARF (Wild Animal Rescue Foundation) association, and international volunteers.

Unfortunately, the growth of tourism in Phuket also brings negative consequences – in some parts of the island, gibbons have almost disappeared from their natural environment. At the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project, animals are helped to adapt to conditions close to those in the wild, so that one day they can return to their native home in the jungle.

The rehabilitation center is located within Khao Pra Theaw National Park, near Bang Pae waterfall. Entrance to the park requires a fee. If you’d like to learn more than just walk around and look at the gibbons, you can take a guided tour lasting 1 or 2.5 hours. You’ll be told in detail about the rehabilitation of gibbons, methods of reintegration into their natural habitat, and, in fact, the volunteers can share the life story of almost every animal – you could say they know each gibbon by face.

What you can see and do at the center:

● Observe gibbons at different stages of rehabilitation: some in quarantine, others in enclosures where they are learning to live “closer to nature.”
● Walk to the observation platform overlooking the enclosures and surrounding forest – minimal animal contact ensures everything is organized with their wellbeing in mind.
● Take part in an educational program: one-hour or longer sessions where you’ll learn about gibbon life, the challenges they face, rehabilitation, and the surrounding environment.
● “Adopt” a gibbon – sponsor their care, receive updates, certificates, and more.

The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project is a charitable initiative, and by purchasing a ticket you support the development of the center and the rescue of gibbons. Dedicated volunteers work here free of charge, and your ticket and tour fees are a small contribution that helps sustain the noble mission of the center.