As in all primates, communication in this species is complex and involved several different modalities.
As mentioned in the "Behavior" section, above, these animals are highly vocal, and use great call vocalizations to defend their territories from other mated pairs.
Tactile communication is also important, between mates, and between parents and their offspring. Tactile communication involves grooming, mating, play and sometimes aggression.
In addition to vocal and tactile forms of communication, these animals use facial expressions, gestures, and body postures to communicate with conspecifics.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic
Other Communication Modes: duets
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Hylobates agilis is listed by IUCN as an endangered species. Due to massive deforestation, their habitat is rapidly decreasing. This loss of habitat due to logging and agricultural demands is the main threat to gibbon species. Conservation measures have been taken, such as reserve game parks and breeding programs in zoos. Unfortunately, these measures are not enough, and more intense conservation efforts must be initiated in order to ensure the survival of these species.
US Federal List: endangered
CITES: appendix i
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: endangered
There is no known negative economic effect of this species on humans.
Hylobates agilis is not an important economic resource for humans. These animals are sometimes hunted for food, and they are illegally captured for the pet trade. Poaching is a threat to H. agilis, for animals that are caught often die in transport from mishandling. Illegal poaching for meat and the pet trade are contributing factors in the declining numbers of H. agilis.
Positive Impacts: pet trade ; food
As these animals are not likely to be an important source of food for other animals, their greatest role in the ecosystem is probably seed dispersal for the fruits they eat.
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds
Hylobates agilis consumes large amounts of fruits. Like other gibbons, these animals are primarily frugivorous. Agile gibbons have also been observed eating a variety of other foods, including leaves, flowers, and insects. Due to their active lifestyle, it is necessary for them to eat food rich in calories. Fruits have a high caloric content.
Animal Foods: insects
Plant Foods: leaves; fruit; flowers
Primary Diet: herbivore (Frugivore )
Gibbons are found throughout the tropical rainforests of South and Southeast Asia. Agile gibbons, Hylobates agilis, are found in Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Biogeographic Regions: oriental (Native )
Hylobates agilis is found in the tropical rainforests of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. They live in the upper canopy of the forest, feeding on fruits, leaves, and insects. Members of Hylobates spend most of their lives in the trees, and rarely descend to the ground.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest
The reported lifespan in captivity for these lesser apes is 44 years. Wild animals probably do not live as long.
Range lifespan
Status: captivity: 44 (high) years.
Average lifespan
Sex: male
Status: captivity: 44.0 years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 25.0 years.
Average lifespan
Sex: female
Status: captivity: 28.0 years.
Lesser apes in the family Hylobatidae are generally small. The average weight of H. agilis is 5.4 kg for females and 5.8 kg for males. Agile gibbons come in a variety of different colors, including black, brown, light tan and reddish-brown. Both sexes have white eyebrows. Males and females can be easily distinguished by the white eyebrows and cheeks possessed by the males.
Gibbons lack tails. Hylobates agilis, like other gibbons, has extremely long arms and fingers. This adaptation aides in brachiation, the prnciple mean of locomotion for these animals. Brachiation consists of hanging from branches and swinging from tree to tree.
Range mass: 4 to 6 kg.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger
Details on predation in this species are not available. However, snakes and raptors are probably the greatest threats to these animals. Because of their highly arboreal lifestyle, many potential predators are not likely to have access to these animals.
Hylobates agilis forms monogamous bonds. Mated pairs stay together until one of them dies.
Mating System: monogamous
Hylobates agilis becomes sexually mature around the age of 8 years. The gestation period is about seven months. These animals give birth to a single offspring per pregnancy, and a mated pair can produce five to six offspring during their reproductive lifetime. The interbirth interval for H. agilis is around forty months.
Breeding interval: The interbirth period for H. agilis is around forty months.
Breeding season: These animals do not have a strict breeding season.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Average gestation period: 7 months.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 8 years.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 8 years.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization ; viviparous
Average number of offspring: 1.
Most female gibbons nurse and care for their offspring until the offspring are about two years old. Offspring remain with their parents until they reach sexual maturity, around eight years, they then disperse from their natal group.
Males also particpate in parental care in this monogamous species. Males groom offspring, and help to defend them.
Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); post-independence association with parents; extended period of juvenile learning
The agile gibbon (Hylobates agilis), also known as the black-handed gibbon, is an Old World primate in the gibbon family. It is found in Indonesia on the island of Sumatra, Malaysia, and southern Thailand. The species is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List due to habitat destruction and the pet trade.
The species is generally thought not to have subspecies, but some experts recognise a mountain form and a lowland form.[2]
The agile gibbon has fur varying in color from black to red-brown. The brow is white, and the male can be recognized by his white or light-grey cheeks. Additionally, the male is slightly larger than the female. The agile gibbon weighs from 4 to 6 kg (8.8 to 13.2 lb) with an average of 5 kg (11 lb), though in captivity it can reach 8 kg (18 lb).[4][5] It has a head and body length of 44–63.5 cm (17.3–25.0 in).[5] Like all gibbons it is tailless.
With its long arms they swing on branches, brachiating at a fast pace. Like all gibbons, it lives in monogamous pairs in a strictly enforced territory, which is defended with vigorous visual displays and songs.[4] The diet of the agile gibbon is generally frugivorous but have also been observed eating leaves, flowers, and insects.[4]
Females give birth to a single offspring after seven months' gestation. The young gibbon is weaned at barely 2 years of age. When fully mature, at about 8 years, it leaves its family group in order to look for a mate.[4]
The agile gibbon is found on Sumatra southeast of Lake Toba and the Singkil River, in a small area on the Malay Peninsula, and south Thailand near the Malaysian border.[2] It predominantly lives arboreally in rain forests and rarely comes to the ground.
Hylobates agilis singing Problems playing this file? See media help. The agile gibbon (Hylobates agilis), also known as the black-handed gibbon, is an Old World primate in the gibbon family. It is found in Indonesia on the island of Sumatra, Malaysia, and southern Thailand. The species is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List due to habitat destruction and the pet trade.
