Gibbon

📋Detailed Description

The lar gibbon (Hylobates lar), also known as the white-handed gibbon, is a small, slender-bodied ape distinguished by its long arms, which can reach up to 1.5 times the length of its body, facilitating its signature mode of locomotion called brachiation. Adults typically weigh between 4.5 and 7.5 kg and measure 44–64 cm in body length, with no significant sexual dimorphism. Their dense fur varies from black and dark brown to light beige, but all individuals possess white hands and feet, and a white facial ring framing a dark, hairless face. Gibbons are strictly arboreal and rarely descend to the ground, spending nearly all their lives in the upper canopy of primary and secondary tropical forests. They are diurnal, with activity peaking in the early morning when they engage in vocal duets that serve to reinforce pair bonds and delineate territory. Socially, lar gibbons are monogamous, forming stable family units consisting of a mated pair and their offspring, which remain with the group until reaching sexual maturity at about 6–8 years of age. Their diet is predominantly frugivorous, with fruit comprising up to 60–75% of intake, supplemented by leaves, flowers, and occasional insects. Gibbons play a vital ecological role as seed dispersers, influencing forest regeneration and plant diversity. Their vocalizations are among the most complex of all nonhuman primates, with each pair producing unique, species-specific songs that can travel over a kilometer through dense forest.