White-Handed Gibbon (Hylobates Lar)
The White-Handed Gibbon (Hylobates lar) is an endangered, tree-living primate. Because of hunting and clearing of the rainforests where they make their home, these animals are in danger of extinction. It is estimated that a mere 10% of their natural habitat remains, and most of this falls in protected sanctuaries. The young are often captured and sold as pets.
White-Handed Gibbons are found in the tropical rainforests of Indonesia, southern China, Burma, Malaysia, and Thailand. They are most often found in the treetops, swinging from branch to branch. They don’t build nests for sleeping like other apes, but, instead, they sleep sitting upright on a tree branch. Usually they have “sleeping trees” that are used every night by each group of gibbons and not used by any other groups. They are able to walk upright, using their long arms for balance, but they don’t use that form of transportation often and prefer to travel through the trees. They avoid crossing water as they don’t know how to swim. Gibbons travel in family groups which usually consist of a mated pair and their offspring. They are very territorial, sometimes holding areas of 30-100 acres.White-Handed Gibbons have very thick, soft fur that ranges in color from black to a reddish-tan. They have essentially hairless black faces which are ringed in white, and, true to their name, the upper parts of their hands are white with an opposable thumb. They have very long arms which are well suited for tree swinging. An adult gibbon can reach a height of 25 inches (63 cm) and a weight of 14 pounds (6 kg). They are tail-less and have coarse pads of skin on their rears that help protect and give comfort when they are sitting or sleeping on tree branches.
Primarily herbivorous, White-Handed Gibbons most often eat fruit and leaves, and they appear to be most fond of figs. However, they will eat insects, bird eggs, and the occasional bird, which they snatch out of the air as they swing by. They forage during the day, often stopping at more than 16 different trees to find food and will rest during the heat of the day.
Interesting Fact: White-Handed Gibbons often get their needed water by licking the moisture off of their fur after a rainstorm or by rubbing it on wet foliage. White-Handed Gibbons reach sexual maturity at six to eight years of age, when they leave the family groups to find their own mates. Female gibbons give birth to young every three to four years, and one baby is born at a time. The pregnancies last approximately 210 days, and the young gibbons are born nearly hairless, except for a small tuft of hair on the top of their heads. The young gibbons cling to their mothers night and day until they begin to swing through the trees at six months of age. They will stay close to their families, only leaving when they are of breeding age and are kicked out of the group by a parent. Communication in White-Handed Gibbons is extensive, relying mostly on lengthy calls that are very musical. They use these to communicate within the family groups and to protect their territories against other family groups. They use different tones to their voices to announce their presence, give details about who is in their family, the sex of the members, and whether or not there is a youngster about to leave the group. They also have a specific warning call that they use if there is danger.
indonesianfauna
Showing posts with label G. Show all posts
Showing posts with label G. Show all posts
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Grizzled Leaf Monkey (Presbytis Comata)
Grizzled Leaf Monkey (Presbytis Comata)
The Grizzled Leaf Monkey (Presbytis comata) is currently listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is estimated that there are less than 1000 of these animals living in the wild, and, due to clearing of rainforests in Indonesia, only 4% of their natural habitat remains. It is estimated that the population of the Grizzled Leaf Monkey has decreased at least by 50% in the last 10 years.
Grizzled Leaf Monkeys are found only on the island of Java in Indonesia. Java is part of the Sundaland Biodiversity hotspot that contains some 82 threatened species and 13 critically endangered species. They have been seen all throughout the tropical rainforest, in both high and low areas. They are active during the day and live in the trees, rarely touching the ground. They seem to travel in groups of 3-12 monkeys each, averaging 6-7. Sometimes the groups are centered around a mated pair, but not always. There have been reports of all male groups as well. These groups tend to be very territorial, defending their areas against other groups, but there does appear to be pretty extensive overlapping edges between territories. The small areas that they occupy are relatively crowded, with sometimes up to 91 individuals per square mile or 35 per square kilometer. The average weight for a Grizzled Leaf Monkey is 13-18 pounds (6-8 kg). They are small and slender with small faces, tails, and long fur that ranges in color from dark gray to white on the underbelly. The fur on the top of their heads is darker, verging on black, and it is a longer fringe of hair. They also have large, rounded stomachs.
The Grizzled Leaf Monkey has an interesting adaptation to deal with the food that it eats. Since leaves are usually not very nutritious and are actually often toxic, most animals that live in the jungles of Indonesia supplement their diets with fruits, flowers, and the more nutritious parts of plants. Leaf Monkeys, however, have large stomachs with several chambers. The first chamber contains specialized bacteria that counteract the toxins in the leaves and break down the leaves so that the monkeys can get nutrition from them. About 70% of their diet consists of leaves, 62% young leaves and 6% mature leaves. They will also eat fungi and tips of branches.
Did You Know? The Grizzled Leaf Monkey’s stomach is so large that the contents alone account for 25% of their total weight. There isn’t a lot of information available on mating and reproduction in the Grizzled Leaf Monkey. Other leaf monkeys, however, such as the Francois Monkey, have been studied in more detail, and the females reach sexual maturity at three to four years old and the males at four. They reach their full adult size at about six or seven. Usually only one baby is born at a time after a gestational period of about 200 days. Babies are usually nursed for about two years and don’t have any contact with their mothers after they are weaned.
indonesianfauna
The Grizzled Leaf Monkey (Presbytis comata) is currently listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is estimated that there are less than 1000 of these animals living in the wild, and, due to clearing of rainforests in Indonesia, only 4% of their natural habitat remains. It is estimated that the population of the Grizzled Leaf Monkey has decreased at least by 50% in the last 10 years.
Grizzled Leaf Monkeys are found only on the island of Java in Indonesia. Java is part of the Sundaland Biodiversity hotspot that contains some 82 threatened species and 13 critically endangered species. They have been seen all throughout the tropical rainforest, in both high and low areas. They are active during the day and live in the trees, rarely touching the ground. They seem to travel in groups of 3-12 monkeys each, averaging 6-7. Sometimes the groups are centered around a mated pair, but not always. There have been reports of all male groups as well. These groups tend to be very territorial, defending their areas against other groups, but there does appear to be pretty extensive overlapping edges between territories. The small areas that they occupy are relatively crowded, with sometimes up to 91 individuals per square mile or 35 per square kilometer. The average weight for a Grizzled Leaf Monkey is 13-18 pounds (6-8 kg). They are small and slender with small faces, tails, and long fur that ranges in color from dark gray to white on the underbelly. The fur on the top of their heads is darker, verging on black, and it is a longer fringe of hair. They also have large, rounded stomachs.
The Grizzled Leaf Monkey has an interesting adaptation to deal with the food that it eats. Since leaves are usually not very nutritious and are actually often toxic, most animals that live in the jungles of Indonesia supplement their diets with fruits, flowers, and the more nutritious parts of plants. Leaf Monkeys, however, have large stomachs with several chambers. The first chamber contains specialized bacteria that counteract the toxins in the leaves and break down the leaves so that the monkeys can get nutrition from them. About 70% of their diet consists of leaves, 62% young leaves and 6% mature leaves. They will also eat fungi and tips of branches.
Did You Know? The Grizzled Leaf Monkey’s stomach is so large that the contents alone account for 25% of their total weight. There isn’t a lot of information available on mating and reproduction in the Grizzled Leaf Monkey. Other leaf monkeys, however, such as the Francois Monkey, have been studied in more detail, and the females reach sexual maturity at three to four years old and the males at four. They reach their full adult size at about six or seven. Usually only one baby is born at a time after a gestational period of about 200 days. Babies are usually nursed for about two years and don’t have any contact with their mothers after they are weaned.
indonesianfauna
White-Handed Gibbon (Hylobates Lar)
White-Handed Gibbon (Hylobates Lar)
The White-Handed Gibbon (Hylobates lar) is an endangered, tree-living primate. Because of hunting and clearing of the rainforests where they make their home, these animals are in danger of extinction. It is estimated that a mere 10% of their natural habitat remains, and most of this falls in protected sanctuaries. The young are often captured and sold as pets.
White-Handed Gibbons are found in the tropical rainforests of Indonesia, southern China, Burma, Malaysia, and Thailand. They are most often found in the treetops, swinging from branch to branch. They don’t build nests for sleeping like other apes, but, instead, they sleep sitting upright on a tree branch. Usually they have “sleeping trees” that are used every night by each group of gibbons and not used by any other groups. They are able to walk upright, using their long arms for balance, but they don’t use that form of transportation often and prefer to travel through the trees. They avoid crossing water as they don’t know how to swim. Gibbons travel in family groups which usually consist of a mated pair and their offspring. They are very territorial, sometimes holding areas of 30-100 acres.White-Handed Gibbons have very thick, soft fur that ranges in color from black to a reddish-tan. They have essentially hairless black faces which are ringed in white, and, true to their name, the upper parts of their hands are white with an opposable thumb. They have very long arms which are well suited for tree swinging. An adult gibbon can reach a height of 25 inches (63 cm) and a weight of 14 pounds (6 kg). They are tail-less and have coarse pads of skin on their rears that help protect and give comfort when they are sitting or sleeping on tree branches.
Primarily herbivorous, White-Handed Gibbons most often eat fruit and leaves, and they appear to be most fond of figs. However, they will eat insects, bird eggs, and the occasional bird, which they snatch out of the air as they swing by. They forage during the day, often stopping at more than 16 different trees to find food and will rest during the heat of the day.
Interesting Fact: White-Handed Gibbons often get their needed water by licking the moisture off of their fur after a rainstorm or by rubbing it on wet foliage. White-Handed Gibbons reach sexual maturity at six to eight years of age, when they leave the family groups to find their own mates. Female gibbons give birth to young every three to four years, and one baby is born at a time. The pregnancies last approximately 210 days, and the young gibbons are born nearly hairless, except for a small tuft of hair on the top of their heads. The young gibbons cling to their mothers night and day until they begin to swing through the trees at six months of age. They will stay close to their families, only leaving when they are of breeding age and are kicked out of the group by a parent. Communication in White-Handed Gibbons is extensive, relying mostly on lengthy calls that are very musical. They use these to communicate within the family groups and to protect their territories against other family groups. They use different tones to their voices to announce their presence, give details about who is in their family, the sex of the members, and whether or not there is a youngster about to leave the group. They also have a specific warning call that they use if there is danger.
indonesianfauna
The White-Handed Gibbon (Hylobates lar) is an endangered, tree-living primate. Because of hunting and clearing of the rainforests where they make their home, these animals are in danger of extinction. It is estimated that a mere 10% of their natural habitat remains, and most of this falls in protected sanctuaries. The young are often captured and sold as pets.
White-Handed Gibbons are found in the tropical rainforests of Indonesia, southern China, Burma, Malaysia, and Thailand. They are most often found in the treetops, swinging from branch to branch. They don’t build nests for sleeping like other apes, but, instead, they sleep sitting upright on a tree branch. Usually they have “sleeping trees” that are used every night by each group of gibbons and not used by any other groups. They are able to walk upright, using their long arms for balance, but they don’t use that form of transportation often and prefer to travel through the trees. They avoid crossing water as they don’t know how to swim. Gibbons travel in family groups which usually consist of a mated pair and their offspring. They are very territorial, sometimes holding areas of 30-100 acres.White-Handed Gibbons have very thick, soft fur that ranges in color from black to a reddish-tan. They have essentially hairless black faces which are ringed in white, and, true to their name, the upper parts of their hands are white with an opposable thumb. They have very long arms which are well suited for tree swinging. An adult gibbon can reach a height of 25 inches (63 cm) and a weight of 14 pounds (6 kg). They are tail-less and have coarse pads of skin on their rears that help protect and give comfort when they are sitting or sleeping on tree branches.
Primarily herbivorous, White-Handed Gibbons most often eat fruit and leaves, and they appear to be most fond of figs. However, they will eat insects, bird eggs, and the occasional bird, which they snatch out of the air as they swing by. They forage during the day, often stopping at more than 16 different trees to find food and will rest during the heat of the day.
Interesting Fact: White-Handed Gibbons often get their needed water by licking the moisture off of their fur after a rainstorm or by rubbing it on wet foliage. White-Handed Gibbons reach sexual maturity at six to eight years of age, when they leave the family groups to find their own mates. Female gibbons give birth to young every three to four years, and one baby is born at a time. The pregnancies last approximately 210 days, and the young gibbons are born nearly hairless, except for a small tuft of hair on the top of their heads. The young gibbons cling to their mothers night and day until they begin to swing through the trees at six months of age. They will stay close to their families, only leaving when they are of breeding age and are kicked out of the group by a parent. Communication in White-Handed Gibbons is extensive, relying mostly on lengthy calls that are very musical. They use these to communicate within the family groups and to protect their territories against other family groups. They use different tones to their voices to announce their presence, give details about who is in their family, the sex of the members, and whether or not there is a youngster about to leave the group. They also have a specific warning call that they use if there is danger.
indonesianfauna
Silvery Gibbon (Hylobates Moloch)
Silvery Gibbon (Hylobates Moloch)
The Silvery Gibbon
The Silvery Gibbon (Hylobates moloch) is currently listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are in danger mostly because of commercial clearing of the forest where they live. It is estimated that only 4% of their original native habitat is still available to the species. They are, of course, in danger from poachers who sell their meat, pelts, and take the babies for pets.
The Silvery Gibbon is only found on the island of Java in Indonesia. Because of their isolated location, it is estimated that there are less than 2000 of these animals currently living in the wild. They are usually found in the upper reaches of trees, and they travel in small family groups that consist of a mated pair and their offspring in various stages of development. They travel by swinging from branch to branch, using their long fingers to hook the branches as they swing forward for the next branch. At times, their swings are so powerful that it allows them to be completely airborne and reach greater distances in one swing. Gibbons are able to walk on the ground if they need to, and they walk on two legs, holding their arms up above their heads to help balance. In each family’s territory, there are trees that are used for specific purposes, like sleeping and calling. They repeatedly use the same trees for these functions. Interesting Fact: Every morning, the female Silvery Gibbon will arise and announce her presence to the forest by shrieking and calling. These calls can be heard for at least a kilometer in all directions.
Silvery Gibbons, as their name suggests, are fluffy with grayish-white fur. The fur is very long and dark gray on the top of their round heads. The arms are extremely long, the span at least twice their height, and they are very slender, which allows them to travel through the trees more easily. The average weight for an adult Silvery Gibbon is approximately 13 pounds (6 kg), and the males and females are very similar in appearance and size.
Silvery Gibbons exist primarily on fruit. Since fruit-bearing trees are usually scattered in the jungle, they must travel extensively to find food, and each gibbon family usually has a territory that they travel through that averages about 42 acres (17 hectares). Sometimes these territories will overlap, allowing several families to share the same fruit trees. They have also been known to eat flowers and leaves.Silvery Gibbons mate for life, and the female will produce offspring about every two to three years. Pregnancies usually last seven to eight months, and only one baby gibbon is born at a time. Gibbons are born essentially hairless with only a small tuft of hair on the top of their heads. Gibbon families are usually very closely linked, and they stay close together when traveling. Adolescent gibbons will stay with the family until they are ready to get off on their own and find a mate. If threatened in their territories, the gibbon female will sing and scream while the male chases off the intruder, usually with a lot of noise and crashing through branches.
indonesianfauna
The Silvery Gibbon
The Silvery Gibbon (Hylobates moloch) is currently listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are in danger mostly because of commercial clearing of the forest where they live. It is estimated that only 4% of their original native habitat is still available to the species. They are, of course, in danger from poachers who sell their meat, pelts, and take the babies for pets.
The Silvery Gibbon is only found on the island of Java in Indonesia. Because of their isolated location, it is estimated that there are less than 2000 of these animals currently living in the wild. They are usually found in the upper reaches of trees, and they travel in small family groups that consist of a mated pair and their offspring in various stages of development. They travel by swinging from branch to branch, using their long fingers to hook the branches as they swing forward for the next branch. At times, their swings are so powerful that it allows them to be completely airborne and reach greater distances in one swing. Gibbons are able to walk on the ground if they need to, and they walk on two legs, holding their arms up above their heads to help balance. In each family’s territory, there are trees that are used for specific purposes, like sleeping and calling. They repeatedly use the same trees for these functions. Interesting Fact: Every morning, the female Silvery Gibbon will arise and announce her presence to the forest by shrieking and calling. These calls can be heard for at least a kilometer in all directions.
Silvery Gibbons, as their name suggests, are fluffy with grayish-white fur. The fur is very long and dark gray on the top of their round heads. The arms are extremely long, the span at least twice their height, and they are very slender, which allows them to travel through the trees more easily. The average weight for an adult Silvery Gibbon is approximately 13 pounds (6 kg), and the males and females are very similar in appearance and size.
Silvery Gibbons exist primarily on fruit. Since fruit-bearing trees are usually scattered in the jungle, they must travel extensively to find food, and each gibbon family usually has a territory that they travel through that averages about 42 acres (17 hectares). Sometimes these territories will overlap, allowing several families to share the same fruit trees. They have also been known to eat flowers and leaves.Silvery Gibbons mate for life, and the female will produce offspring about every two to three years. Pregnancies usually last seven to eight months, and only one baby gibbon is born at a time. Gibbons are born essentially hairless with only a small tuft of hair on the top of their heads. Gibbon families are usually very closely linked, and they stay close together when traveling. Adolescent gibbons will stay with the family until they are ready to get off on their own and find a mate. If threatened in their territories, the gibbon female will sing and scream while the male chases off the intruder, usually with a lot of noise and crashing through branches.
indonesianfauna
Grizzled Leaf Monkey (Presbytis Comata)
Grizzled Leaf Monkey (Presbytis Comata)
The Grizzled Leaf Monkey (Presbytis comata) is currently listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is estimated that there are less than 1000 of these animals living in the wild, and, due to clearing of rainforests in Indonesia, only 4% of their natural habitat remains. It is estimated that the population of the Grizzled Leaf Monkey has decreased at least by 50% in the last 10 years.
Grizzled Leaf Monkeys are found only on the island of Java in Indonesia. Java is part of the Sundaland Biodiversity hotspot that contains some 82 threatened species and 13 critically endangered species. They have been seen all throughout the tropical rainforest, in both high and low areas. They are active during the day and live in the trees, rarely touching the ground. They seem to travel in groups of 3-12 monkeys each, averaging 6-7. Sometimes the groups are centered around a mated pair, but not always. There have been reports of all male groups as well. These groups tend to be very territorial, defending their areas against other groups, but there does appear to be pretty extensive overlapping edges between territories. The small areas that they occupy are relatively crowded, with sometimes up to 91 individuals per square mile or 35 per square kilometer. The average weight for a Grizzled Leaf Monkey is 13-18 pounds (6-8 kg). They are small and slender with small faces, tails, and long fur that ranges in color from dark gray to white on the underbelly. The fur on the top of their heads is darker, verging on black, and it is a longer fringe of hair. They also have large, rounded stomachs.
The Grizzled Leaf Monkey has an interesting adaptation to deal with the food that it eats. Since leaves are usually not very nutritious and are actually often toxic, most animals that live in the jungles of Indonesia supplement their diets with fruits, flowers, and the more nutritious parts of plants. Leaf Monkeys, however, have large stomachs with several chambers. The first chamber contains specialized bacteria that counteract the toxins in the leaves and break down the leaves so that the monkeys can get nutrition from them. About 70% of their diet consists of leaves, 62% young leaves and 6% mature leaves. They will also eat fungi and tips of branches.
Did You Know? The Grizzled Leaf Monkey’s stomach is so large that the contents alone account for 25% of their total weight. There isn’t a lot of information available on mating and reproduction in the Grizzled Leaf Monkey. Other leaf monkeys, however, such as the Francois Monkey, have been studied in more detail, and the females reach sexual maturity at three to four years old and the males at four. They reach their full adult size at about six or seven. Usually only one baby is born at a time after a gestational period of about 200 days. Babies are usually nursed for about two years and don’t have any contact with their mothers after they are weaned.
indonesianfauna
The Grizzled Leaf Monkey (Presbytis comata) is currently listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is estimated that there are less than 1000 of these animals living in the wild, and, due to clearing of rainforests in Indonesia, only 4% of their natural habitat remains. It is estimated that the population of the Grizzled Leaf Monkey has decreased at least by 50% in the last 10 years.
Grizzled Leaf Monkeys are found only on the island of Java in Indonesia. Java is part of the Sundaland Biodiversity hotspot that contains some 82 threatened species and 13 critically endangered species. They have been seen all throughout the tropical rainforest, in both high and low areas. They are active during the day and live in the trees, rarely touching the ground. They seem to travel in groups of 3-12 monkeys each, averaging 6-7. Sometimes the groups are centered around a mated pair, but not always. There have been reports of all male groups as well. These groups tend to be very territorial, defending their areas against other groups, but there does appear to be pretty extensive overlapping edges between territories. The small areas that they occupy are relatively crowded, with sometimes up to 91 individuals per square mile or 35 per square kilometer. The average weight for a Grizzled Leaf Monkey is 13-18 pounds (6-8 kg). They are small and slender with small faces, tails, and long fur that ranges in color from dark gray to white on the underbelly. The fur on the top of their heads is darker, verging on black, and it is a longer fringe of hair. They also have large, rounded stomachs.
The Grizzled Leaf Monkey has an interesting adaptation to deal with the food that it eats. Since leaves are usually not very nutritious and are actually often toxic, most animals that live in the jungles of Indonesia supplement their diets with fruits, flowers, and the more nutritious parts of plants. Leaf Monkeys, however, have large stomachs with several chambers. The first chamber contains specialized bacteria that counteract the toxins in the leaves and break down the leaves so that the monkeys can get nutrition from them. About 70% of their diet consists of leaves, 62% young leaves and 6% mature leaves. They will also eat fungi and tips of branches.
Did You Know? The Grizzled Leaf Monkey’s stomach is so large that the contents alone account for 25% of their total weight. There isn’t a lot of information available on mating and reproduction in the Grizzled Leaf Monkey. Other leaf monkeys, however, such as the Francois Monkey, have been studied in more detail, and the females reach sexual maturity at three to four years old and the males at four. They reach their full adult size at about six or seven. Usually only one baby is born at a time after a gestational period of about 200 days. Babies are usually nursed for about two years and don’t have any contact with their mothers after they are weaned.
indonesianfauna
White-Handed Gibbon (Hylobates Lar)
White-Handed Gibbon (Hylobates Lar)
The White-Handed Gibbon (Hylobates lar) is an endangered, tree-living primate. Because of hunting and clearing of the rainforests where they make their home, these animals are in danger of extinction. It is estimated that a mere 10% of their natural habitat remains, and most of this falls in protected sanctuaries. The young are often captured and sold as pets.
White-Handed Gibbons are found in the tropical rainforests of Indonesia, southern China, Burma, Malaysia, and Thailand. They are most often found in the treetops, swinging from branch to branch. They don’t build nests for sleeping like other apes, but, instead, they sleep sitting upright on a tree branch. Usually they have “sleeping trees” that are used every night by each group of gibbons and not used by any other groups. They are able to walk upright, using their long arms for balance, but they don’t use that form of transportation often and prefer to travel through the trees. They avoid crossing water as they don’t know how to swim. Gibbons travel in family groups which usually consist of a mated pair and their offspring. They are very territorial, sometimes holding areas of 30-100 acres.White-Handed Gibbons have very thick, soft fur that ranges in color from black to a reddish-tan. They have essentially hairless black faces which are ringed in white, and, true to their name, the upper parts of their hands are white with an opposable thumb. They have very long arms which are well suited for tree swinging. An adult gibbon can reach a height of 25 inches (63 cm) and a weight of 14 pounds (6 kg). They are tail-less and have coarse pads of skin on their rears that help protect and give comfort when they are sitting or sleeping on tree branches.
Primarily herbivorous, White-Handed Gibbons most often eat fruit and leaves, and they appear to be most fond of figs. However, they will eat insects, bird eggs, and the occasional bird, which they snatch out of the air as they swing by. They forage during the day, often stopping at more than 16 different trees to find food and will rest during the heat of the day.
Interesting Fact: White-Handed Gibbons often get their needed water by licking the moisture off of their fur after a rainstorm or by rubbing it on wet foliage. White-Handed Gibbons reach sexual maturity at six to eight years of age, when they leave the family groups to find their own mates. Female gibbons give birth to young every three to four years, and one baby is born at a time. The pregnancies last approximately 210 days, and the young gibbons are born nearly hairless, except for a small tuft of hair on the top of their heads. The young gibbons cling to their mothers night and day until they begin to swing through the trees at six months of age. They will stay close to their families, only leaving when they are of breeding age and are kicked out of the group by a parent. Communication in White-Handed Gibbons is extensive, relying mostly on lengthy calls that are very musical. They use these to communicate within the family groups and to protect their territories against other family groups. They use different tones to their voices to announce their presence, give details about who is in their family, the sex of the members, and whether or not there is a youngster about to leave the group. They also have a specific warning call that they use if there is danger.
indonesianfauna
The White-Handed Gibbon (Hylobates lar) is an endangered, tree-living primate. Because of hunting and clearing of the rainforests where they make their home, these animals are in danger of extinction. It is estimated that a mere 10% of their natural habitat remains, and most of this falls in protected sanctuaries. The young are often captured and sold as pets.
White-Handed Gibbons are found in the tropical rainforests of Indonesia, southern China, Burma, Malaysia, and Thailand. They are most often found in the treetops, swinging from branch to branch. They don’t build nests for sleeping like other apes, but, instead, they sleep sitting upright on a tree branch. Usually they have “sleeping trees” that are used every night by each group of gibbons and not used by any other groups. They are able to walk upright, using their long arms for balance, but they don’t use that form of transportation often and prefer to travel through the trees. They avoid crossing water as they don’t know how to swim. Gibbons travel in family groups which usually consist of a mated pair and their offspring. They are very territorial, sometimes holding areas of 30-100 acres.White-Handed Gibbons have very thick, soft fur that ranges in color from black to a reddish-tan. They have essentially hairless black faces which are ringed in white, and, true to their name, the upper parts of their hands are white with an opposable thumb. They have very long arms which are well suited for tree swinging. An adult gibbon can reach a height of 25 inches (63 cm) and a weight of 14 pounds (6 kg). They are tail-less and have coarse pads of skin on their rears that help protect and give comfort when they are sitting or sleeping on tree branches.
Primarily herbivorous, White-Handed Gibbons most often eat fruit and leaves, and they appear to be most fond of figs. However, they will eat insects, bird eggs, and the occasional bird, which they snatch out of the air as they swing by. They forage during the day, often stopping at more than 16 different trees to find food and will rest during the heat of the day.
Interesting Fact: White-Handed Gibbons often get their needed water by licking the moisture off of their fur after a rainstorm or by rubbing it on wet foliage. White-Handed Gibbons reach sexual maturity at six to eight years of age, when they leave the family groups to find their own mates. Female gibbons give birth to young every three to four years, and one baby is born at a time. The pregnancies last approximately 210 days, and the young gibbons are born nearly hairless, except for a small tuft of hair on the top of their heads. The young gibbons cling to their mothers night and day until they begin to swing through the trees at six months of age. They will stay close to their families, only leaving when they are of breeding age and are kicked out of the group by a parent. Communication in White-Handed Gibbons is extensive, relying mostly on lengthy calls that are very musical. They use these to communicate within the family groups and to protect their territories against other family groups. They use different tones to their voices to announce their presence, give details about who is in their family, the sex of the members, and whether or not there is a youngster about to leave the group. They also have a specific warning call that they use if there is danger.
indonesianfauna
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