The 12 gibbon species form a group of great apes – the “ small apes“. Orangutans, gorillas, humans, chimpanzees and bonobos form the group of „great apes“.

Almost all ape species live in trees, but gibbons have adapted particularly well to life in treetops. They have extremely long arms for hanging. All other apes – with the exception of orangutans – climb around in the trees by walking ON the branches. The gibbons shimmy UNDER the branches. This makes it much easier for them to reach fruit hanging from the branches.

Due to their hanging locomotion, they can also hold on to two branches at the same time. Gibbons can harvest fruit from thin branches on the outer edge of the tree canopy, which the other monkey species cannot reach and which can otherwise only be

Gibbons live in Asia from Burma to Indonesia. In the past, gibbons also lived in China. Most gibbon populations are endangered due to habitat destruction.

Gibbons are the only primate group to be strictly monogamous. It takes some time to find suitable partners, but then they stay together for a long time, often their entire lives. The males take part in caring for the children.

Each pair has a fairly large territory, which it marks with song. The gibbon songs must, of course, be lat. The songs are not only species-specific (for researchers a better distinguishing feature than the rather variable coat color) but also person-specific. Every gibbon has its own style. Unlike birds or orangutans, for example, it is not only the males that mark their territories with song. Males and females both sing. In many species, the two partners also sing as a duet. It is assumed that these songs not only serve to mark territory, but also to strengthen the relationship.

Because mating does not involve fighting, there is no difference in size between males and females. Only the coat color differs in some species. The males are dark, the females light-colored.

Source: Geißmann: Comparative primatology