The tropical rain forests of Southeast Asia are home to the white-cheeked gibbon (Pongidae Hylobats concolor). The Minnesota Zoo's Tropics Trail is also home to this small species of primate.

Gibbons are very agile, swinging from tree to tree using a form of locomotion called brachiation. They are active during the day and sleep in the trees at night. Their diet consists of fruits, leaves, insects, young birds and eggs.

Gibbons are very territorial and live as a family unit. An adult male, adult female and one to four immature offspring occupy and defend their territory. The family of gibbons begins each day in the early morning vocalizing loud melodic songs or "great calls" that can be heard up to one mile away.

White-cheeked gibbons are the only species that can change color as many as three times during their life. Adult males are black with white cheeks and the adult females are white or buff color, sometimes with black patches. The young are born the buff color and change to black at about six months. And a young female will turn buff again when she reaches maturity at six to seven years.

Due to exploitation in the pet and food trade, and habitat destruction, all species of gibbons are listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and Appendix I in CITES.

The gibbons in the Tropics at the Minnesota Zoo consist of an adult male, adult female and one young female offspring.

Find out more at the Minnesota Zoo.