To mark International Gibbon Day 2026, the "Into the Ark of Life" documentary public sharing session, hosted by Shanghai Roots & Shoots and co-organized by the Nanjing East Road Sub-district New Social Stratum Association, was successfully held on October 25. At the event, the invited guest introduced the audience to the Cao-Vit gibbon (Nomascus nasutus), an endangered species in China, and shared the story of cross-border species conservation.
The event consisted of two parts: a documentary screening and a science talk. The film shown was Cao-Vit Gibbon's Ark, co-produced by Colorful Nature Films, Guangxi Radio and Television Station, and Bilibili. As the first production to present a panoramic record of the Cao-Vit gibbon's current situation along the China–Vietnam border, the film unveils the hidden life of this rare primate in the wild and showcases the practice through which China and Vietnam have built a cross-border conservation mechanism that helps the population grow steadily — offering an outstanding example of international cross-border biodiversity conservation.
The guest speaker was Chen Hanlong, head of Shanghai Roots & Shoots' Cao-Vit Gibbon Habitat Restoration Project. Drawing on frontline field restoration practice, he shared insights into the species' current status and habitat protection work, vividly recounting the real stories of protecting the gibbons, and explaining practical ways for ordinary people to take part in biodiversity conservation.
Audience members immersed themselves in the beauty of the gibbons' lives and connected with the warm, moving family bonds revealed in their family lives. Through vivid imagery and first-hand accounts, they also gained a more intuitive understanding of cross-border conservation and habitat restoration. This community session brought science outreach on rare wildlife conservation closer to the public, sowing the seeds of ecological conservation in the community and calling on more people to care about endangered species and join in protecting our natural ark.
Special thanks to: Nanjing East Road Sub-district New Social Stratum Association