KIPLING Malaysia, the fashion bag brand and Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (PERHILITAN) have joined hands to raise awareness and reduce consumer demand for White-Handed Gibbons (Hylobates Lar) as pets called The Kipling Initiative.
The White-Handed Gibbon is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List and listed on Appendix I of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and listed as Totally Protected Species under Second Schedule Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.
“We are honoured to be working with PERHILITAN to support them in their quest to end the illegal trade”, said Executive Director of Ram Pacific Malaysia, Tan Seong Teck.
The brand adopted Dan and Cutie, a pair of endangered White-Handed Gibbons at Zoo Negara late last year and is conducting activations to promote gibbon conservation where sales of their bags will help to continue to fund the Initiative.
“In order to protect and conserve our wildlife, collaboration among stakeholders through public awareness campaign are vital to support the government initiatives as stated in our National Policy on Biodiversity” said Director of Enforcement Division, PERHILITAN, Salman Hj. Saaban.
Malaysia passed the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008 (INTESA) to control international wildlife trade and the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (WCA) to replace the old Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 to provide for the protection and conservation of wildlife in general which PERHILITAN enforces.
Gibbons are small, arboreal apes distributed in the wild in the tropical and subtropical rainforests of Malaysia and Southeast Asia. The exact number of their population is unknown.
KIPLING also unveiled their KIPLING x emoji® Asia Exclusive Collection, a brand-new Asia-exclusive limited collection. By delivering the brand’s core message of ‘Stylish and Functional Products that Lighten Your Day’, this collection will drive excitement, new brand experience with fun and personal emotional expression.
