Caehopkin,
Abercrave,
Swansea Valley, SA9 1UD
South
Wales, UK
Tel +44 (0) 1639 730276
Email:-
desk@cefn-yr-erw.fsnet.co.uk
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Gibbons.. are small tree living apes native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia. They are an endangered species, threatened by a habitat loss of thousands of acres per day and a flourishing illegal wildlife trade. Unlike most other primates gibbons are monogamous (mating for life) and live in single family groups. |
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A
Gibbon family unit will occupy a territory and defend its boundaries by a
vigorous vocal and visual display. Mated
Gibbons sing to each other in spectacular, almost bird-like duets, and occasionally
the young will join in.
There are 13 surviving gibbon species, with colourations ranging from cream to brown, and grey to black. In some species the males and females have a sex-specific colouration, whilst the colours of infants in some species are different from the adults. Gibbons are some of the world's greatest trapeze artists. They have the ability to swing and leap distances of 50 feet from tree to tree at speeds of up to 35 mph and the fact that they may be 200 feet above the ground does not seem to concern them. This mode of locomotion i.e. swinging beneath branches, while suspended by their hands, is called brachiating. (The spider monkeys of South America also move about in this way, but unlike Gibbons they have prehensile tails which they use as an extra limb) Beannie, on the left, was hand reared at Cefn-yr-Erw, having been rejected by his family at the tender age of eight months. He has his own fan club and keeps visitors enthralled by his antics. |
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If you would like to volunteer to help us care for our animals please click here |
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