Conservation strategies for pileated gibbons (Hylobates pileatus) in Thailand have included protection, community-based initiatives and reintroductions. Besides conservation interventions, we also believe that topographic characters (i.e. elevation, slope and distance from forest border) should be considered when reducing hunting pressures on gibbons in Ta-riu Tributary, Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary (KSD). However, limited access of poachers to the area occupied by pileated gibbons also limits rangers’ ability to patrol at the same time. In this case, community-based conservation strategies should be considered. However, for areas close to the forest border without gibbon populations, reintroduction strategies should be considered. Therefore, in order to select the most suitable conservation strategy for each area, correlation and linear regression between the number of pileated gibbon groups and topographic characters were analysed. Distance from the forest border significantly affects the number of pileated gibbon groups. Thus, this factor was used to select the suitable conservation strategy in both Ta-riu Tributary and the wildlife sanctuary. Community-based conservation strategies should benefit 6 per cent of the wildlife sanctuary forested area, whilst protection and reintroduction strategies would benefit 58 and 36 per cent, respectively. We recommend that Ta-riu Tributary should be the priority area for pileated gibbon conservation in KSD.

Narratives are presented on the first studies of white-handed gibbons (Hylobates lar) in Khao Yai National Park and pileated gibbons (Hylobates pileatus) in Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand. We describe local methods of camping (adapted from non-timber forest product (NTFP) collectors and cardamom harvesters) during the habituation process for studying gibbon behaviour in both areas. Gibbons were successfully habituated by a British physical anthropologist, Jeremy Raemaekers, who laid down the foundations for studies on white-handed gibbons in Khao Yai. Meanwhile, conservation work was being done on pileated gibbons in Khao Soi Dao by local Thai biologists. A television documentary on pileated gibbons, made by a local Thai celebrity, used situation comedy in real-field situations to raise local awareness about the gibbons, and helped to reconnect conservation efforts. We recommend that education in local schools should address conservation efforts and include knowledge on gibbon recolonisation after conservation interventions. This chapter reflects the local perspectives on both local and international primatologists contributing towards the field of ‘gibbonology’ and should be considered an additional style of describing ‘ethnoprimatology’ by biologists from a primate habitat country.