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Moloch gibbon

Hylobates moloch

Moloch gibbons spend most of their time in trees, swinging from branch to branch.

They can leap as far as 30 metres in one jump.

A gibbon family has a territory of between 30 and 50 acres of rainforest.

Each morning, gibbons mark their area by singing loudly. This acts as a warning to other gibbons to stay away.

Diet
Moloch gibbons eat fruit, leaves, flowers, tree bark, insects, bird eggs and small birds.

Size
The gibbons can grow up to 90 centimetres long and weigh between six and seven kilograms.

Location
Moloch gibbons are found in the rainforests of Java, Indonesia.

Key to acronyms

EEP = European Endangered Species Programme
CITES = Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
IUCN = International Union for Conservation of Nature
ESB = European Studbook

Conservation status
The IUCN believes the Moloch gibbon faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. The species is listed under Appendix I of CITES.

Threats
The main threat facing the gibbons is loss of their habitat due to Java’s growing population.

They are also hunted as food or captured for the pet trade.

Current population
No exact estimates are available but experts believe there are less than 2,000 moloch gibbons left in the wild.

Zoo population
Outside Indonesia, only seven zoos keep Moloch gibbons, housing 40 animals between them.