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​Gibbon Basics

Where are gibbons from?
Gibbons are native to the dwindling rain forests of Southeast, South and East Asia. You’ll find gibbons in Thailand, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia (including Sumatra, Java and Borneo).
How do gibbons travel?
  • Gibbons brachiate or swing from trees using their arms which are 1.5 times longer than their legs.  They can reach speeds of up to 35 mph and leap distances of up to 50 feet
  • Gibbons walk bi-pedal or on 2 legs. 
How do gibbons communicate?
A gibbon marks its territory by vocalizing (singing) when traveling within the borders of where they live. The adult male and female sing a duet and their offspring will join in. The adult male and female harmonize, but sing a different song. When males are immature they generally sing the song of females.
How far can a gibbons voice travel through the forest canopy?
The siamang sings a song that can be heard up to 2 miles through the dense forest canopy. The siamang is the loudest land mammal on Earth. The siamang has a unique vocal sac that inflates as they sing and produces remarkably loud and deep sounds.
What do gibbons eat?
Gibbons eat fruit, young leaves, flowers, bird eggs, insects and birds. They forage for food in the upper forest canopy.
Can gibbons see in color?
Yes.
Are gibbons monogamous or polygamous?
Gibbons are, for the most part, monogamous (they have only one mate at a time). However, unlike geese or other animals that take only one mate for life, gibbons typically have only one mate “at a time” --- this is called “serial monogamy.” In some situations, however, gibbons are known to take more than one mate at a time.
At what age do gibbons leave their parents to create their own family in their natural habitat?
On average, gibbon offspring leave their parents and begin to create their own families when the females are around 8.5 years old and the males are around 10 years old.
At what age do gibbons reach sexual maturity in captivity?
Gibbons in captivity become sexually mature at some point between 4.5 – 6.5 years of age.  
How long is gestation?
Pregnant females carry their young for approximately 6.5 months
How long does a gibbon live?
The lifespan of a gibbon is roughly 30 - 35 years in the wild or 40 – 50 years in captivity.
The oldest known living gibbon was a 60 year-old male Müller’s gibbon named Nippy, who was housed in the Wellington Zoo in New Zealand. He passed away in 2008.
What is the rarest gibbon?
​The Eastern black gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) is one of the rarest primates in the wild. The Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus) is the rarest mammal in the world. with only 25 individuals left in the wild and zero in captivity.