The documentary director filmed the endangered eastern black-crowned gibbon: it's wonderful to listen to them "talk"

Documentary shooting team work photos. Photo courtesy of respondents

Be rediscovered after "extinction"

Beijing News: Why do you want to make this film?

Ding Quan: On the one hand, I definitely hope that this film can make the public know and understand this species and promote its understanding and protection. The eastern black-crowned gibbon was widely distributed in southern China and northern Vietnam east of the Red River in history. However, due to the deterioration of ecological environment and the sharp decline of population, it was once considered extinct in China since 1950s. After 1960s, there is no exact information about the distribution of this species in Vietnam. Until 2002, experts rediscovered this species in the forest at the junction of Vietnam and Guangxi.

A small karst forest at the junction of Jingxi City in Guangxi and Chongqing County in Vietnam is the only distribution area of eastern black-crowned gibbon in the world, which is equivalent to the "Noah's Ark" of this population. The Sino-Vietnamese border runs through this forest, and the documentary also tells the story of the joint protection of scientists and protection workers of the two countries for more than ten years. This is a very special example. The voice of the oriental black-crowned gibbon is unique, which gives us the initial idea of "singing without borders", which is also based on it in the later period.

The population of the habitat is close to saturation.

Beijing News: What is their current situation?

Ding Quan: This ape lives in trees all his life. Each family consists of/kloc-0 adult male apes, 2 adult female apes and their descendants, which is a standard monogamous family structure. Adult female apes usually give birth to a fetus every 3 to 5 years. Newborn apes are taken care of by their mothers and can't be independent until they are 2 years old. When I was 8 to 10, I left my parents to find a new territory and set up a new family.

When the eastern black-crowned gibbon was first discovered, local villagers cut down forests, burned charcoal and even hunted in forest areas. After more than ten years of protection, the forest began to recover slowly. However, this 30-square-kilometer protected area is separated from farmland and villages, which is equivalent to an island. The population of the eastern black-crowned gibbon cannot spread outward, and their population is close to saturation at present.

Mother and son of eastern black-crowned gibbon. Photo courtesy of respondents

Climb and shoot with equipment weighing 100 kg.

Beijing News: What is the daily shooting status?

Because of the complex karst landform, we can't track and shoot under the tree. We can only climb to several high observation points one or two hundred meters away with nearly 100 kilograms of equipment, or wait patiently for them to appear in hidden tents.

I remember the first day I went up the mountain with photographic equipment and a lot of logistics materials, and I was caught in a heavy rain. The shooting time was about three months, and the whereabouts of the eastern black-crowned gibbon were mysterious. Besides, there was a lot of rain last year, and we haven't filmed it for more than a month.

We also tried to install infrared cameras on the trees where they often move. Unfortunately, we didn't take pictures of them moving in the trees. We get up at four o'clock every morning. Before they start singing, we hope to take photos of them singing, but there are few photos taken. Because of the complex landform of karst forest, the aerial camera was hung on the tree three times during aerial photography, and it took a lot of effort to get it back. Once again, it's a pity that one of them is gone forever.

Beijing News: What impressed you deeply during the filming?

Ding Quan: Once, they came to a tree only ten meters away from us. I can even hear them whispering. This is a wonderful feeling.

Fortunately, we also photographed the little orangutan. When we first saw it, the mother ape was very careful to hold the little ape which was only a few months old. The little ape held his mother with his hands and feet and sucked milk. This little orangutan is covered with furry black and has a pair of simple eyes. This species itself is an anthropoid ape, and the little ape needs its mother to take it to about 9 years old to be independent. To some extent, this is very similar to human maternal love. It is also based on this that we created the final poster.