Hoolock

The genus Hoolock refers to forest-dwelling gibbons found in Southeast Asia. These primates are known for their long arms, which they use for brachiation, swinging from branch to branch with great agility. Gibbons, including those in the Hoolock genus, are tailless apes that live in small, monogamous groups and are active during the day.1

There are two species often classified under the Hoolock genus: Hoolock hoolock, found in Eastern Bangladesh, northeastern India, and western Myanmar, and Hoolock leuconedys, native to southern China and northeastern Myanmar. Taxonomic classification can be complex, with these sometimes considered subspecies of a single species.2

Gibbons primarily feed on fruit, supplemented with leaves, insects, and bird eggs. They are considered among the most endangered primates due to habitat destruction and hunting.1