Gibbons - Disney Animals

These playful and very vocal primates call the treetops home, but you don’t have to trek into the forest to find them.

You can spot 2 species of gibbons near the entrances to Kali River Rapids and Maharajah Jungle Trek: siamangs and white-cheeked.

Gibbons in the Wild
Gibbons live in the warm climates of the southeastern Asian rainforests. Siamangs call Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia home. White-cheeked gibbons are generally found in Vietnam and Laos.

White-cheeked gibbons have distinct white fur on their cheeks, while siamangs are notable for their large size—they can be twice as big as other gibbons.

Disney’s animal care experts provide gibbons with the perfect place to explore, play and raise a family.

A Swingin’ Good Time
A crisscrossed network of bamboo beams, ropes, ladders, towers and live trees provides our gibbons with endless opportunities to climb, swing and stay active in their specially designed forest dwelling.

A Fruity Feast
Gibbons spend the day foraging for the perfect mix of leaves, fruits, vegetables and flowers. The gibbons at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park are provided with a colorful combination of fresh fruits, veggies and plant life on a daily basis, allowing them to make a meal out of their favorite foods. What a sweet treat!

Foraging Fun
Our animal care experts may place treats for gibbons in a hanging bucket or a burlap bag to draw out their natural curiosity and put their foraging skills to the test. Who knew foraging could be so much fun?

High-tech Enrichment
To provide mental stimulation to our gibbons, our animal care experts may provide gibbons with a game to play on a tablet computer. The gibbons can match colors, shapes or objects. When the item is matched correctly, the gibbons get a tasty treat.

The Walt Disney Company is passionately committed to the protection of gibbons and their natural habitats.

Threats to Gibbons
The wild gibbon population has suffered from habitat loss, hunting and the illegal wildlife trade.

Logging
Increased logging has encouraged road development which has led to the destruction of forest homes for gibbons and fragmented their population.

Primates Are Not Pets
Unfortunately, baby Siamangs are adorable, which makes them sought-after pets in many Asian countries. They are the most traded species of gibbon in the illegal wildlife trade.

Hunted for Bones
In some Asian countries, gibbons are hunted for their body parts, which are used in traditional medicine.

Planning for Sustainability
Support from the Disney Conservation Fund has helped nonprofit organizations in southeast Asia lead cutting-edge research and sustainable development planning for rural communities. The fund has also enabled education programs that empower communities to protect gibbons, other apes and their habitats globally.

The Walt Disney Company has also established a company-wide paper sourcing and use policy to minimize paper consumption and eliminate paper irresponsibly sourced from areas of high conservation value.