Moloch Gibbon
Hylobates moloch
The Moloch gibbon is also known as the silvery or Javan gibbon and originates from the island of Java, in Indonesia. With almost 98 per cent of their habitat already gone, the Moloch gibbon faces serious threat of extinction in the very near future.
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. These gibbons can grow up to 90 centimetres long and weigh between six and seven kilograms.
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.
IUCN red list status
The IUCN status of the Moloch Gibbon is endangered.
For more info on classifications visit www.iucnredlist.org
Animal class
Mammal
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.
Habitat
Rainforest
Population
It is estimated that there are only 4,500 of these gibbons left in the wild.
Diet
Omnivore. Moloch gibbons eat fruit, leaves, flowers, tree bark, insects, bird eggs and small birds.