Pileated Gibbon

(Hylobates pileatus)


Facts

Pileated Gibbon IUCN ENDANGERED (EN)

 

Facts about this animal

The Pileated Gibbon has a long, dense and shaggy fur. The colour of the males is black with white back to the hands and feet and white head ring. Females are silvery grey with black chest, cheeks and cap. Sexual dimorphism occurs only in the fur colour. They have a bare and dark pigmented face. Females are about 4.9-6.15 kg and males 5.3-6.66 kg. Reasons for the decline of the Pileated Gibbon include habitat loss, especially due to logging and agriculture, as well as hunting for food and the pet market.

Did you know?
that gibbons drink by licking their wet fur after dipping their hands into water or rubbing them against wet foliage?


 

Factsheet
Class MAMMALIA
Order PRIMATES
Suborder SIMIAE
Family HYLOBATIDAE
Name (Scientific) Hylobates pileatus
Name (English) Pileated Gibbon
Name (French) Gibbon à bonnet
Name (German) Kappengibbon
Name (Spanish) Gibón de cresta negra
CITES Status Appendix I
CMS Status Not listed

 

 

Photo Copyright by
Gerald Cubitt

Distribution

 


Distribution
Range Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, Viet Nam
Habitat Tropical Rainforest
Wild population 12,000 individuals in Thailand (2004-2005), Cambodia would be approximately 35,000, while Laos PDR have the smallest population (Red List IUCN 2011).
Zoo population 106 registered by the International studbook (2004, incomplete data from Asia), 64 reported to ISIS

In the Zoo

Pileated Gibbon

 

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 33 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

 

Find this animal on ZooLex

 

Photo Copyright by
Gerald Cubitt

Why do zoos keep this animal

The Pileated Gibbon is rated vulnerable, and its habitat is shrinking and deteriorating continuously. With a view of building up a viable reserve population, an International Studbook has been established in 1990 under the WAZA umbrella, and coordinated conservation breeding programmes are operated at the regional level by AZA, EAZA and JAZA.

 

How this animal should be kept

The enclosures for one pair with offspring have to be of the following extent:

  1. Outdoor enclosure (Minimum area): 80 m²
  2. Indoor enclosure (Minimum area): 30 m²
  3. Enclosure hight (Minimum hight -closed at the top of the enclosure): 5 m

 

In- and outdoor enclosures are both necessary. All-year access to the outdoor enclosure (with two or more entries respectively exits) must be guaranteed at least during the day.

 

The temperature in the inner room mustn't be less then 15° C. Additionally, there have to be some selective places warmed up with radiant heater.

 

The enclosure facilities have to contain provisions for climbing and swinging which enables the animals to swing and move hand over hand, seating accommodations in different hights, screens, niches or other possibilities to back out as well as barriers. The enclosure room must be appropriable for swinging and moving hand over hand through a corresponding large and high construction. In closed enclosures there have to be some facilities for climbing affixed to the ceiling.

 

Keeping has to be in pairs.

 

Several times, but at least three times every day a diet of miscellaneous fruits and vegetables, adequate animal proteins as well as food enrichment has to be offered.