Malaysian Nature Society - Johor Branch
Malaysia

The White-handed Gibbon ( Hylobates lar) is one of four small anthropoid
apes belonging to the family Hylobatidae.Gibbons are characterised by their ability to move by swift movement through the forest canopy using only their very long arms to grasp branches-a process known as brachiation.

Recently while at the Panti Bird Sanctuary area of Panti, I came across a family of three -mummy, daddy and baby , up in the canopy of a tall tree about 30 m above me.The little tot was about a month old but already was swinging out of control among the tree-top! Mummy and daddy were both howling away to keep the baby in sight and as I watched the little one, it displayed a playfulness akin to a child who had just learned to walk. In this instance, it was exploring the canopy on its own and it was very agile indeed and fast disappearing as it went further. Sensing danger, the protective mother reacted swiftly and grasped the baby gibbon and moved rapidly to a different part of the tree when it saw me.

Shown here is one of the few snaps I managed to capture and to me, it was a touching display of very human motherly love.The bond was so strong and touching it made me ponder why in the world would we thinking human shoot and kill them for money? And leave so many orphans to pine and die for their mother?

Any views?

Vincent