Bornean Gibbon Ape

Facts about Bornean Gibbon Ape. "Scientific name for Bornean Gibbon Ape is Hylobates muelleri". Monkey meaning (any mammal of the order Primates), this includes the macaques, capuchins, guenons and langurs, this excludes humans, the anthropoid apes, and, usually, the prosimians and tarsier.

The Bornean Gibbon Ape is also called Muller's Bornean Gibbon Ape, Grey Gibbon and Bornean Grey Gibbon. Bornean Gibbon Monkeys fur is usually grey- brownish in color and has a pale cream to white brow. The Bornean Gibbon Ape is endemic to Borneo Island, they are exclusively arboreal which means (they move on the tropical tall trees and rarely descend from the trees).

Like other Gibbon Monkeys, Bornean Gibbon Ape swings from one tree to the other - a process called "brachiation". They do this by raising their hands above their head to hold another branch. The Bornean Gibbon Ape can walk on the ground by holding up their hands to maintain balance and can only move very small distances. The Bornean Gibbon Ape can move very quickly with long swings and leaps covering approximately 10 feet (3 meters) by swinging once and can cover approximately 2790 feet (850 meters) in a day.

Bornean Gibbon Ape have a life span of 25 years when living in the rainforests, which is their natural habitat. They can only survive in forests that have not been affected by logging. If the forests disappear they also disappear because they cannot survive without the tall trees. They can live much longer when in captivity.

Bornean Gibbon Ape live in a family grouping of a male, with a female and their young ones. They live in territories which they guard against intruders by using loud, long calls and singing. The Bornean Gibbon Ape also perform duets just like other gibbons. Their diet comprises of young leaves, insects and sweet fruits from the trees in the forest. In the early mornings the adult gibbons usually make a whooping call.

Bornean Gibbon Ape can be heard from the rainforests where they live. The Gibbons live with their mates their entire life and start reproducing at the age of 12- 13 years. The Bornean Gibbon Ape live with their parents until maturity, usually at 8 years of age, when they are able to take care of themselves.

The Bornean Gibbon Ape, like most gibbons, have a gestation period of 7 months. The females can only produce one offspring within a year. The young ones are weaned off at the age of 2 and they become mature adults at the age of 8. The Bornean Gibbon Ape then leave to find mates and start new families. Female gibbons live at earlier age than the male gibbons.

The Bornean Gibbon Ape’s survival is threatened by human activities in the forests like logging, expansion of human settlements into the forests, charcoal burning, hunting them for food or for the illegal pet trade. Several steps have been taken across the world where the Bornean Gibbon Apes are found to help prevent their extinction. Some of these measures include strict laws regarding hunting and pet trade. The Bornean Gibbon Apes have also been moved in highly protected areas and today they can be found in protected forests, animal sanctuaries and protected national parks in the countries where they are found.

In Indonesia, the Bornean Gibbon Ape can be found in Bukit Raya N. Park, Kutai N. Park, Kayan Montarang N. Park, Sungai Protected Forest, and Tanjung National park. In Malasya they can be found in semengok Forest Reserve and Lanjak Entiman Wildlife Sanctuary.