Distinguishing Characteristics:
Slender build with long limbs. Males are entirely black, with white cheek patches connected by a white stripe under the chin. Females have yellowish-brown fur, with a fringe of fur around the face and a grey or black-tipped crown. Infants, both male and female, have light yellow fur.
Biology and Ecology:
Forage in the upper canopy. Their diet consists of fruits, seeds, leaves, buds, insects, bird eggs, and nestling birds. Reproduction of this subspecies is similar to that of the Black-cheeked Gibbon subspecies. Sexual maturity is reached at 8-9 years of age. Gestation lasts 200-214 days, with one offspring born per year. They inhabit old-growth forests on high mountain peaks, often rocky terrain. They live in family groups of 3-7 individuals. They are diurnal, actively foraging in the mornings and afternoons, moving lightly and swiftly through the trees, rarely descending to the ground.
Distribution:
- Within Vietnam: Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien – Hue provinces.
- Worldwide: Laos.
Value:
Valuable for scientific research, contributing to the understanding of species’ ecological behaviors and for captive breeding programs in zoos.
Conservation Status:
Prior to 1975, this species was commonly found in the old-growth forests of the central provinces of Vietnam, estimated to occupy an area of >5,000 km². Since 1975, the species’ status has significantly changed. Population numbers have drastically decreased. Currently, there are approximately >5 subpopulations. Potential causes for this decline include habitat degradation, deforestation, reduction of natural forest area, and hunting for traditional medicine, trade, and export.
Classification:
EN A1c,d C2a.
Conservation Measures:
The species is listed in the Vietnam Red Book 2000 and the list of species requiring protection by the Forestry Sector (Appendix IB of Decree 32/2006/ND-CP of March 30, 2006, issued by the Government). Effective enforcement of laws, regulations, and government decrees regarding the protection of wild animals is necessary. Establishing nature reserves and developing management programs for wildlife in general, and threatened species in particular, are crucial.
Currently, this species is protected in conservation areas such as: Vu Quang Nature Reserve, Ke Go (Ha Tinh), Khe Net (Quang Binh), Dak Rong (Quang Tri), Phong Dien and Bach Ma National Park (Thua Thien – Hue). In addition, several forests in Nghe An, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien – Hue provinces are also under protection and are planned for the establishment of conservation areas to protect this precious gibbon species.