Apes (Hominoidea) are a branch of Old World tailless anthropoid primates native to Africa and Southeast Asia. They are the sister group of the Old World monkeys, together forming the catarrhine clade. They are distinguished from other primates by a wider degree of freedom of motion at the shoulder joint as evolved by the influence of brachiation. There are two extant branches of the superfamily Hominoidea: the gibbons, or lesser apes; and the hominids, or great apes.
The family Hylobatidae, the lesser apes, include four genera and a total of sixteen species of gibbon, including the lar gibbon, hoolock gibbon, and the siamang, all native to Asia. They are highly arboreal and bipedal on the ground. They have lighter bodies and smaller social groups than great apes.
The family Hominidae (hominids), the great apes, includes two extant species of orangutans and their subspecies (genus Pongo), two extant species of gorillas and their subspecies (genus Gorilla), two extant species of chimpanzees and their subspecies (genus Pan), and one extant species of humans in a single extant subspecies with several geographic populations (genus Homo).
North Bornean Gray Gibbon (Hylobates funereus, german: Müller-Gibbon, french: Gibbon de Müller), also known as the grey gibbon, is a primate in the gibbon family, Hylobatidae. It is endemic to Borneo.
Unlike other gibbon species, North Bornean Gray Gibbon does not show sexual dimorphism in its fur coloration. Its fur is grey- or brown-colored with a ring of bright fur around its face. On the head, it often has a darkly colored cap. Weighing between 4-8 kg (9-18 lb), it ranks among the smaller of the gibbons.
North Bornean Gray Gibbon is endemic to the island of Borneo, inhabiting the northern and eastern part of the island.
North Bornean Gray Gibbon (Hylobates funereus, german: Müller-Gibbon, french: Gibbon de Müller). It is endemic to Borneo. (828k) North Bornean Gray Gibbon (Hylobates funereus, german: Müller-Gibbon, french: Gibbon de Müller) starting a long leap. This and the next four pictures are a sequence showing a leaping Gibbon. (792k) Leaping Gibbon. (907k) Leaping Gibbon. (925k) Leaping Gibbon. (932k) Leaping Gibbon. (928k)
The Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) is a primate from the gibbon family, Hylobatidae. The species is found in Assam, Mizoram, Bangladesh and in Myanmar west of the Chindwin River.
Like other gibbons, Hoolock Gibbon pairs produce a loud, elaborate song, usually sung as a duet from the forest canopy, in which younger individuals of the family group may join in. The song includes an introductory sequence, an organising sequence, and a great call sequence, with the male also contributing to the latter (unlike in some other gibbon species).
In India and Bangladesh it is found where there is contiguous canopy, broad-leaved, wet evergreen and semi-evergreen forests dipterocarpus forest often mountainous. The species is an important seed disperser; its diet includes mostly ripe fruits, with some flowers, leaves and shoots.
There are numerous threats to Western Hoolock Gibbons in the wild, and are now entirely dependent on human action for their survival. Threats include habitat encroachment by humans, forest clearance for tea cultivation, the practice of jhuming (slash-and-burn cultivation), hunting for food and “medicine”, capture for trade, and forest degradation.
Over the last 30–40 years, Western Hoolock Gibbon numbers are estimated to have dropped from more than 100,000 (Assam alone was estimated to have around 80,000 in the early 1970s) to less than 5,000 individuals (a decline of more than 90%). In 2009 it was considered to be one of the 25 most endangered primates, though it has been dropped from the later editions of the list.
Male (right) and female (left) Western Hoolock Gibbons (Hoolock hoolock, german: Westlicher Weißbrauengibbon, french: Gibbon hoolock occidental). (697k) Female Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock, german: Westlicher Weißbrauengibbon, french: Gibbon hoolock occidental). (791k) Male Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock, german: Westlicher Weißbrauengibbon, french: Gibbon hoolock occidental). (895k)
Sumatran Lar Gibbon (Hylobates lar vestitus, german: Weißhandgibbon, french: Gibbon à mains blanches)
The Sumatran Lar Gibbon (Hylobates lar vestitus, german: Weißhandgibbon, french: Gibbon à mains blanches), also known as the Sumatran Lar Gibbon, is a subspecies of the lar gibbon, a primate in the gibbon family Hylobatidae. It is endemic to the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. It shares the tree tops with orangutans, which, like the gibbon, rarely come out of the trees due to predators, such as tigers and possibly sun bears.
Sumatran Lar Gibbon (Hylobates lar vestitus, german: Weißhandgibbon, french: Gibbon à mains blanches). It is endemic to Sumatra. (716k) Sumatran Lar Gibbon (Hylobates lar vestitus, german: Weißhandgibbon, french: Gibbon à mains blanches) with baby. (1356k)
The 2007 IUCN Red List classified them as Endangered. Although the common chimpanzee is the most abundant and widespread of the non-human great apes, recent declines in East Africa are expected to continue due to hunting and loss of habitat. Because chimpanzees and humans are so physiologically similar, chimpanzees succumb to many diseases that afflict humans. If not properly managed, research and tourism also presents a risk of disease transmission between humans and chimpanzees.
The Northeast Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio, german: Borneo-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Bornéo) is a species of orangutan endemic to the island of Borneo. Together with the Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii, german: Sumatra-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Sumatra), it belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia. Like the other great apes, Orangutans are highly intelligent, displaying advanced tool use and distinct cultural patterns in the wild. Orangutans share approximately 97% of their DNA with humans.
The Northeast Bornean Orangutan is a critically endangered species, with deforestation, palm oil plantations and hunting posing a serious threat to its continued existence.
Feeding Northeast Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio, german: Borneo-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Bornéo) in the Sepilok rehabilitation center. The long-tailed macaques are trying to steal some of the food. The Northeast Bornean Orangutan is endemic to Borneo. (652k) One of the macaques got the courage to grab a bite. (666k) Northeast Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio, german: Borneo-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Bornéo) at Sepilok. (773k) They use all arms and legs, one only for holding on, the other three for holding food. The baby has no problem hanging on either. (630k) Baby Northeast Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio, german: Borneo-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Bornéo). (982k) Baby Orangutan. This one came up to our raised walk way. (583k) Baby Orangutan on our raised walk way. (475k) Hangin' in there. (618k) They have long arms. (699k) Female Northeast Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio, german: Borneo-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Bornéo) feeding near the Abai Jungle Lodge. This one was in the wild, not a captive one. It was somewhat habituated to humans around the lodge, but not dependent on them. (1002k) This is the detritus from her feeding under the tree. (635k) Orangutan tree nest. (1202k) Female Northeast Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio, german: Borneo-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Bornéo) Sheena with baby Danum. (962k) Big male Northeast Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio, german: Borneo-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Bornéo). When too many people got too close to his feeding tree, he started to charge us. Everybody scrambled away, you don't want to tangle with an irate big male Orangutan. I could understand that he was miffed at being stared at by 20 or so people, crowding around his tree. (814k) The crowd watching the male Orangutan. (802k)
Sumatran Orangutans (Pongo abelii, german: Sumatra-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Sumatra)
The Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii, german: Sumatra-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Sumatra) is one of the two species of orangutans. It is endemic to the Indonesian island of Sumatra and is rarer than the Northeast Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio, german: Borneo-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Bornéo). Its common name is based on two separate local words, "orang" ("people" or "person") and "hutan" ("forest"), and translates as "person of the forest".
Female Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii, german: Sumatra-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Sumatra). It is endemic to Sumatra. (806k) Female Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii, german: Sumatra-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Sumatra) with baby. (809k) Female Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii, german: Sumatra-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Sumatra) with baby. (852k) Baby Orangutan. (895k) Male Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii, german: Sumatra-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Sumatra) swinging in a tree. (1292k) Male Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii, german: Sumatra-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Sumatra) in a tree. (1114k) Male Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii, german: Sumatra-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Sumatra) in a tree. (711k) Male Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii, german: Sumatra-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Sumatra). (822k) Close-up of big male Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii, german: Sumatra-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Sumatra). (598k) Close-up of big male Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii, german: Sumatra-Orang-Utan, french: Orang-outan de Sumatra). (806k)
Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei, german: Berggorilla, french: Gorille des montagnes) in Rwanda
The Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei, german: Berggorilla, french: Gorille des montagnes) is one of the two subspecies of the eastern gorilla. There are two populations. One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, within three National Parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. The other is found in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Some primatologists consider the Bwindi population in Uganda may be a separate subspecies, though no description has been finalized. As of September 2016, the estimated number of mountain gorillas remaining is about 880.
View of the Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei, german: Berggorilla, french: Gorille des montagnes) family, one up in the tree (Okapi), and the silverback (Kwitonda) and the female Mbilimbili with the baby Urwego on the ground. (1412k) Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei, german: Berggorilla, french: Gorille des montagnes) family with the silverback Kwitonda, the female Mbilimbili and the three babies Urwego, Karibu, and Lisanga. (1372k) Female Gorilla eating and the silverback sleeping. (1183k) Female Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei, german: Berggorilla, french: Gorille des montagnes) nursing 8 month old baby Urwego, with the silverback Kwitonda next to them. (1085k) Gorilla family. (1116k) Gorilla baby Urwego watching the silverback Kwitonda. (895k) Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei, german: Berggorilla, french: Gorille des montagnes) Silverback and (I believe) a blackback Gorilla (a young male). (901k) Gorilla babies playing. (1024k) Gorilla babies playing on a liana. (1084k) Gorilla babies horsing around. (985k) Gorilla female eating. (1041k) Gorilla female eating. (1003k) Gorilla female eating. (761k) Gorilla baby nursing. (815k) Gorilla male in a tree (Okapi). (846k) Gorilla baby climbing a liana. (1002k) Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei, german: Berggorilla, french: Gorille des montagnes) baby swinging from a liana. (971k) Gorilla baby. (737k) Gorilla baby. (736k) Youngest Gorilla baby (8 months old). (754k) Youngest Gorilla baby. (811k) Silverback Gorilla. (1077k) Silverback Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei, german: Berggorilla, french: Gorille des montagnes). (796k) Gorilla close-up. (706k) Gorilla close-up. (727k) Gorilla baby close-up. (669k) Gorilla baby close-up. (586k) Silverback Gorilla close-up. (884k) Silverback Gorilla close-up. (855k) The author in front of the Gorilla family. (953k)
Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei, german: Berggorilla, french: Gorille des montagnes) in Uganda
The Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei, german: Berggorilla, french: Gorille des montagnes) in Uganda in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. They were hidden much more than the ones in Rwanda in the Volcanoes National Park.
Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla, german: Westlicher Flachlandgorilla, french: Gorille des plaines de l’Ouest) in the Republic of the Congo
The Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla, german: Westlicher Flachlandgorilla, french: Gorille des plaines de l’Ouest) is one of two subspecies of the western gorilla that lives in montane, primary and secondary forests and lowland swamps in central Africa in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It is the nominate subspecies of the western gorilla, and the smallest of the four gorilla subspecies.
Unfortunately, something was wrong with my camera, so all gorilla pictures are slightly blurry.
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