Details
Hylobates lar
The white-handed gibbon is a small ape that swings through the forest canopy on long arms. Pair groups announce their territories with loud morning songs.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It inhabits Indomalayan tropical forest. Continuous tall canopy is essential for travel and feeding, making the species sensitive to fragmentation.
Length 42-59 cm; weight 4.4-7.6 kg. Long arms, white hands and feet, and a pale face ring are distinctive. Fur may be black to pale brown, and there is no tail.
Diurnal and pair-living, it moves by brachiation from branch to branch. Family groups perform coordinated duets that carry through the forest.
An omnivore with a fruit-heavy diet, it also eats young leaves, flowers, and insects. By feeding in the canopy it helps disperse seeds.
A breeding female usually bears a single infant, which is raised over a long period. Young learn routes, feeding sites, and brachiation from their parents.
It is listed as Endangered. Deforestation, fragmentation, and illegal trade are major threats, so connected forest is critical.
