Educator Guide: A Rope Bridge Restored an Ape Highway

November 21, 2020

Hainan gibbon on a rope bridge — Simple rope bridges like this could help connect forests fragmented by human activities, a new study finds. That could be good news for critically endangered Hainan gibbons (one shown) and possibly other species

Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, B.P.L. Chan *et al*/*Scientific Reports* 2020

About this guide

In this guide, students will learn about how researchers used engineering to help an endangered species navigate its habitat after a natural disaster. Then, students will explore other examples of solutions to habitat fragmentation and discuss the importance of conservation.

This Guide Includes:

Gibbons learn the ropes

Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “A rope bridge restored a highway through the trees for endangered gibbons,” which describes how researchers helped critically endangered Hainan gibbons in China navigate a gully after a landslide. A version of the story, “A rope bridge restored an ape highway,” can be found in the November 21, 2020 issue of Science News.

A bridge to conservation

Students will learn about the effects of habitat fragmentation on a critically endangered species, explore scientists’ process for designing and engineering a solution to the problem, and discuss the importance of conservation.