Pileated Gibbon (Hylobates pileatus) lives in tropical rainforest across Southeast Asia. It feeds on fruit and leaves. Its conservation status is Endangered.
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Male pileated gibbons are completely black, a stark contrast to females whose fur is buff or white-grey with a black belly and head. This clear sexual dimorphism makes the sexes easy to tell apart in the forest. Both males and females share a striking white, shaggy hair ring encircling the head, giving the species its distinctive appearance.
Surveys estimate roughly 35,000 pileated gibbons live in Cambodia and about 30,000 in Thailand, highlighting the species' limited overall numbers. Within Cambodia, the Cardamom Mountains support around 20,000 individuals, while Bokor National Park holds about 1,000. These figures underscore the fragmented and vulnerable nature of their populations across the region.
Cambodia's Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team seizes roughly 5-6,000 live animals each year. The team, mandated to crack down on illegal wildlife trade, confiscates approximately 5-6,000 live animals annually and has rescued more than 56,000 live animals since its creation in 2001 through 2013.
In December 2013 a pair of pileated gibbons were released into the protected forests of the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site near the ancient temple complexes.
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In the lush, vibrant canopies of Southeast Asia's forests, the pileated gibbon reigns as a hauntingly beautiful songster, its melodic calls echoing through the trees as it swings effortlessly, a dark silhouette against the dappled light. With arms outstretched, it launches itself from branch to branch, a mesmerizing display of agility and strength, its graceful movements a testament to its arboreal mastery. As it moves through its domain, the pileated gibbon embodies a rare and fleeting elegance, a quality that makes its endangered status all the more poignant.
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