Animal talk&feeding: Yellow-cheeked gibbon

Gibbons are regarded as the most accomplished aerial acrobats of the forest canopy. They inhabit lowland tropical rainforests across the southern regions of Asia. The evolutionary paths of gibbons and the great apes diverged approximately 18 million years ago, which makes them something like our distant cousins. Our common ancestor probably lived in Southeast Asia and may have been a small, tree-dwelling ape. Today, the 12 gibbon species are divided into four groups. The crested gibbons, which include the yellow-cheeked gibbon, were the first to separate from the other groups around 10 million years ago.

Gibbons are true rainforest acrobats, and their distinctive form of movement is unique in the animal kingdom. Hanging by their arms, they swing from one handhold to the next without using their legs. With breathtaking ease, they can cover several metres of vertical distance in moments and cross gaps of 8–10 metres. This effortless movement is made possible by their unusual anatomy: while a human arm is approximately one-third of the length of the body, a gibbon’s arms are more than two and a half times as long as its body. On the ground or on thicker branches, gibbons can walk upright on two legs, using their arms for balance.

Their appearance is equally remarkable, as their coat changes colour during their lifetime. Newborns have pale yellow fur, which turns black after a few months, leaving only the face yellow. This becomes the permanent coloration of the males, while the females’ fur changes back to a yellowish shade by the time they reach sexual maturity. Females also remain smaller than males.

The gibbons’ distinctive vocal performance, known as the “gibbon duet”, is unique among apes. Bonded pairs use their songs to mark their territory and communicate with other gibbons.

This monogamous species lives in small family groups, usually consisting of a male, a female and their offspring. Yellow-cheeked gibbons are omnivorous, feeding on fruit, flowers, leaves, invertebrates and small vertebrates.

Although gibbons are viewed positively in East and Southeast Asian cultures, this does not prevent people from hunting them ruthlessly and destroying their habitat. Young animals are captured and smuggled for the illegal pet trade, which usually involves killing their parents. They are also hunted for their meat, while certain body parts and organs are believed to possess special healing properties. In China, humans have already destroyed 99% of their original habitat. Habitat fragmentation has also slowed reproduction among these territorial, pair-living animals.

Szeged Zoo participates in the European Endangered Species Programme for the species. On 19 January 2012, our gibbon pair, Rafael and Melanie, welcomed their offspring Jáde, the first yellow-cheeked gibbon ever born in Hungary.