On May 22–23, coinciding with the International Day for Biological Diversity, we partnered with Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden to host the "Listening to the Call of Cao Vit Gibbon" educational event, centered around the theme "Protect All Creatures, Benefit All Life."
The two-day event attracted 1,500 visitors in total. People learnt about the Cao Vit Gibbon through all kinds of exploratory experiences. In addition, they were introduced what biodiveristy is and how it matters in our world.
The Cao Vit Gibbon is left about 74 individuals in the wild only. They live in the karst forests across the border of China and Vietnam. The event creatively combined the botanical garden's flora resources with education on endangered species, focusing on the interactions between fauna and flora in the ecosystem. Through listening, exploring, and sensing, participants were able to gain a fuller understanding of the gibbon's current living conditions and its unique ecological value.
The lecture, from both macro and micro perspectives on biodiversity.
The event kicked off with an expert lecture. We were honored to have Professor Yan Yuehong, a researcher from Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden and CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, along with Chen Hanlong, the manager of Shanghai Roots & Shoots' Cao Vit Gibbon Haibtat Restoration Program, to share diverse nature and science insights with the public.
During the first half of the lecture, Researcher Yan Yuehong applied molecular technology to uncover "invisible" species — reminding us that in the unseen corners of nature, countless lives are not discovered yet, while they slip away quitely.
Following Professor Yan's talk, Chen Hanlong presented a session "Watching Nature from the City." He started with basic biodiversity concepts, then moved on to the Cao Vit Gibbon — covering its habitat, behavior, and current threats like habitat loss and resource scarcity. He encouraged the audience to take part in Chenshan Botanical Garden's events and to care more about the future of endangered species.
Finally, Chen Hanlong quoted Dr. Jane Goodall to share with everyone: "Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, shall all be saved."
Fun Games at Different Spots — Learning About Gibbon
We designed four stops based on the living environment of the Cao Vit Gibbon. Each stop integrated science knowledge into fun games, while also connecting the ecological features of karst landscapes with the characteristic plants of Chenshan Botanical Garden. Participants walked, played, and learned as they moved around in the garden.
"Guess what the gibbon likes to eat?" Faced with a variety of "natural snacks," visitors carefully identified each option,gradually figuring out the gibbon's unique diet and learning how these foods are connected to the plants around them.
"Where does the gibbon live?" Visitors carefully compared four different habitat options, hesitated, and then placed their gibbon sticker into the matched " Habitat."
"Guess which one is the Cao Vit Gibbon?" — this challenge is quite difficult. Four illustrations of similar-looking gibbons were displayed on the board. The Visitors carefully compared the images, searching for the unique features of the Cao Vit Gibbo. They were also learning about its distinctive habitat in the Conservatory of Rare and Exotic Plants, where the stop was located.
We also set up an "Evolution Tree" interactive activity in the Fern Garden. Visitors tried to piece together the evolutionary journey of primates alongside the evolutionary path of plants. At the same time, participants explored the various ferns in the garden and learned about their important role in karst landscapes.
Along the route, you will surely come across this display board: from a distance, the Cao Vit Gibbon appears to be resting on the tree. With huge support of Chenshan Botanical Garden, the board was made and installed in Chenshan. It presents the gibbon's species characteristics, current conservation status, and their habitat. It allows every visitor to stop, read, and learn about critically endangered species and the conservation work— helping to spread the message.
Many visitors engaged thoughtfully throughout the activity, answering questions with enthusiasm. Through the challenges, they came to understand the deeper meaning of species protection and truly appreciated the value of biodiversity.
After the tour, many participants actively took part in the socail media campaign we launched, enthusiastically sharing what they had learned from the event — helping to raise awareness beyond the botanical garden and spread online.
We also prepared special souvenirs — each a small thank-you for learning about nature and biodiversity, helping to keep the memory of ecological protection alive.
Nature Walk — Sensing Ecological Connections Through Strolling
To make the exploration experience more complete and to deepen everyone's understanding of the science, the event featured a special guided nature walk. Led by Chen Hanlong, participants strolled through the botanical garden as he shared insights along the way, explaining the various plants that coexist with the Cao Vit Gibbon and highlighting the interdependent, symbiotic relationships between plants and animals.
The "Listen to the Call of Cao VitGibbon" event, held on the International Day for Biological Diversity, offered a innovative perspective to nature education. With a mix of engaging lectures, garden tour, and guided walks, participants were able to learn about a critically endangered species and were touched by the beauty of natural world.
Going forward, we will continue education for sustainable development and nature, encouraging more people to care about biodiversity and take action for ecological protection.
Special thanks to: Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden