Cyber FlashCards

10 of the most well-known primate species

#8

what is thIS PRIMATE'S common name?
WHITE-HANDED GIBBON
Also known as the LAR GIBBON
What is the scientific name?
Hylobates lar
​WHAT KIND OF PRIMATE IS THIS?
APE
Where do they live?
White-handed gibbons live in the tropical rainforests of southern and Southeast Asia. Of all the gibbon species, white-handed gibbons inhabit the greatest north-south range. They make their homes in the countries of Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand.
Picture
Asia
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Where white-handed gibbons live. Map: Chermundy & IUCN/Creative Commons
New world or old world?
OLD WORLD
fascinating facts
  • Masters of agility, white-handed gibbons can leap 26 feet (8 m) between branches
  • They prefer a diet of fruit and cultivate the forest by dispersing seeds
  • White-handed gibbons were regarded by early Chinese writers as "noble gentlemen who move gracefully through trees"
What threatens their future?
Habitat loss is a major threat to the species’ survival. Forests are rapidly disappearing, razed for the logging industry and transformed into agricultural tracts of land. White-handed gibbons are also hunted and killed for their meat. In Thailand, white-handed gibbon mothers are routinely shot and killed and their babies are stolen, to be exploited and traded in the illegal pet market.
​WHAT IS their CONSERVATION STATUS?
ENDANGERED
What Does this Conservation Status mean?
Endangered (EN) – High risk of extinction in the wild
Any species categorized as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable is considered by conservation scientists to be a threatened species
​HERE'S A SNAPSHOT AND THE SPECIES' PROFILE
Click or tap on the graphic to enlarge it
​LEARN MORE ABOUT WHITE-HANDED GIBBONS
Go to the white-handed gibbon Primate Species Profiles page
are gibbons good pets?
NO
  1. Although absolutely adorable, gibbons, like all primates, do not make good pets.
  2. Gibbons are intelligent, strong-willed, strong, and have formidible teeth that cause a good deal of damage.
  3. Gibbons are LOUD! Their "songs" lasts an average of 11 minutes and can be heard up to 0.6 mi (1 km) away.
  4. Gibbons live in monogamous family groups and require the company of a bonded mate. 
  5. Gibbons belong high in the trees with a great deal of space where they can perform their naturally acrobatic swinging and leaping behaviors, an extremely difficult condition to replicate in captivity.
  6. To become pets, gibbon babies are stolen from their mothers. As a result, they do not develop normally emotionally.
  7. Primates are never domesticated. They always remain wild. 
  8. Caged primates are very unhappy and frustrated. They are likely to resist confinement. They are quick and cause damaging bites and scratches.
  9. Many locations have strict regulations that prohibit trading in or keeping primates and endangered species are pets.
  10. White-handed gibbons belong with other gibbons in southeast Asia. They and their habitats must be protected, not exploited.
#PrimatesAreNotPets
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​Common names are not officially defined. They are based on everyday conversational language and may differ by country, region, profession, community, or other factors. As a result, it is not unusual for a species to have multiple common names.

Scientific names, on the other hand, are standardized and constant. They are Latinized and rule-bound by a formal naming system called binominal nomenclature. Scientific names prevent misidentification. They typically only change if a species is officially redesignated.
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The biological order of Primates is divided into these classifications:​
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​​New World monkeys are native to Central and South America.

Old World monkeys are native to Africa and Asia.
Learn about the differences between New World monkeys and Old World monkeys
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  • ​Extinct (EX) – No known individuals remaining.
  • Extinct in the Wild (EW) – Known only to survive in captivity.
  • Critically Endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Endangered (EN) – High risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild.
  • Near Threatened (NT) – Likely to become endangered in the near future.
  • Least Concern (LC) – Widespread and abundant.
  • Data Deficient (DD) – Not enough data to assess the species' risk of extinction.
  • Not Evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been evaluated.
Learn more about ​Conservation Statuses
Copyright © New England Primate Conservancy 2019. You may freely use and share these learning activities for educational purposes. 
​For questions or comments, e-mail us at info@neprimateconservancy.org.
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