SILVERY GIBBON

The 'Silvery Gibbon' (''Hylobates moloch'') is a primate in the Hylobatidae or gibbon family. Their skin is bluish gray in color, with a dark grey or black cap. Like all gibbons, they have no tail and their arms are long compared to their body. On average, they reach 8 kg in weight.
The Silvery Gibbon lives exclusively on the island of Java, (Indonesia), where it inhabits deeply hidden portions of the rain forests. It is diurnal and arboreal, climbing trees skillfully and brachiating through the forests. Its diet consists of fruits, leaves, and flowers.
Every three years, on average, the female births a single young, after a seven month gestation. The offspring is nursed for about 18 months and lives with the family group until it is fully mature at about 8 years.
The Silvery Gibbon ranks among the most threatened primates; habitat destruction on densely populated Java continues to reduce the natural range of the species. By one estimate, there are no more than 2000 animals among various reservations. Several zoos operate breeding programs, but the future survival of this species is in question.
Like all gibbon species, the silvery gibbon lives in pairs and stakes out territory that the pair strongly defends; it has relatively small territories of about 42 acres (17 ha). Females sing to declare their territory several times a day, and if strangers are spotted the male screams loudly in an attempt to scare them away.
There are two subspecies of the Silvery Gibbon: Gibbon Systematics and Species Identification

★ Western Silvery Gibbon or Western Javan Gibbon, ''Hylobates moloch moloch''

★ Eastern Silvery Gibbon or Central Javan Gibbon, ''Hylobates moloch pongoalsoni''

Contents

References

External links

References

External links

★ ARKive - images and movies of the Javan gibbon ''(Hylobates moloch)''

★ Silvery Gibbon photos

★ Silvery Gibbon songs

★ Gibbon Conservation Center