songkhla zoo

Pileated Gibbon (Hylobates pileatus)

Information English Name / Pileated Gibbon Science Name / Hylobates pileatus

Interesting :

Male is black in color, while female is light in color. Newborn is also light in color. When it is 4 – 6 months old, its hair at the chest will turn into black in an invert triangular shape at its stomach. Its hair at the head will also turn into black at the center of the head in circle shape. When it is 3 –4 years old, hairs of male will turn into black for entire body except for eyebrows, testis, backhands, back feet, and the circle around its face that the hair is still remain at the same white color. Around the black marking spot on its head, there is distinctively long white hair scattered around. For female, its hair body is not change into black. Its hair color remains the same. At its chest and head, it is black in color, which looks like wearing black bib and crown. Like male, it has distinctively long white hair scattered around its black marking spot on its head.

Habitat :

It is found in Lao, and Cambodia in Western part of Mekong River. In Thailand, it is found in Eastern part such as Surin, Buriram, Prachin Buri, and Trad provinces. It is also found at Hao Yai National Park. HABITAT AND ECOLOGY This species is found in moist, seasonal evergreen and mixed deciduous-evergreen forests. It has been recorded to about 1,500 m in Cambodia and to around 1,200 m in Thailand. This species is similar to H. lar in diet and general ecology, consuming mostly fruits, shoots, and some immature leaves, as well as insects (Srikosamatara 1980, 1984). Researchers find the species somewhat shyer and more elusive than H. lar (W. Brockelman pers. comm.). Average group size in Thailand is four individuals (Brockelman and Poonjampa unpubl. data). There has been no long-term study of behavior and life history.

Food :

It eats fruits, treetops, bird eggs, and insects.

Behavior :

Its mating behavior is similar to that of any other gibbons. But it is fierce when mature.

Current Status :

This species is listed in CITES Appendix I. In Cambodia the major stronghold is three contiguous protected areas, including Samkos and Aural Wildlife Sanctuaries, and the Central Cardamom Protected Forest. This last area contains about 3,350 km2 of gibbon habitat and a population of nearly 7,000 groups. This potentially could ensure the long-term survival of the species if effectively managed. The Cambodian Forestry Administration, in collaboration with Conservation International, is developing a management plan for this area, and ranger units have been established to stop illegal poaching and logging. Gibbons also occur in Bokor National Park (1,220 km2 of habitat), which is generally well managed. As in Thailand, numerous smaller fragmented areas also contain pileated gibbons, most with low long-term prospects. In Cambodia, there is a need to strengthen protected area administration and protection activities, and to halt logging and development activities in important conservation areas (W. Brockelman pers comm.; Traeholt et al. 2005). In southeast Thailand, all populations are included within protected areas, but more effort needs to be made to change the behavior of local villagers who hunt. The largest protected forest areas are the Tab Lan National Park, Pang Sida National Park, Ta Phraya National Park, Khao Ang Ru Nai Sanctuary and Khao Soi Dao Sanctuary, totalling over 3,000 km2 of forest habitat in three blocks (Phoonjampa and Brockelman unpubl. data). In 2009, a conservation intervention through community involvement was made at the iconic study site of Srikosamatara (1980) in North Ta-riu watershed, Khao Soi Dao wildlife sanctuary, with success. Before the intervention, the gibbon population declined by 70% between 1979 to 2008, as a result of opportunistic hunting for bush meat by local Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) collectors. A social theory called “Diffusion of innovations” and “Conservation marketing” was applied, using educational and campaign materials, and resulted in increased conservation behavior among local NTFP collectors. In 2012, the gibbon population increased by 20% (Kolasartsanee and Srikosamatara 2014). Re-survey in 2016 showing further increase of gibbon population indicated a persistence effect of 2009 intervention on conservation for at least 7 years (Kolasartsanee 2016).