Skip to main content

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.

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.