FaunaHub
ENEndangeredPartial review

Lar Gibbon

Hylobates lar

Lar (white-handed) gibbon (Hylobates lar), a small pale-handed ape.

Lar (white-handed) gibbon (Hylobates lar).

Image: Alexander Leisser, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category
EN · Endangered
Animal group
Mammals
Population trend
Decreasing
FaunaHub record reviewed
Checked against IUCN
Matches source — IUCN's 2020 global assessment of Hylobates lar says EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment

Conservation overview

The lar (white-handed) gibbon is a small, agile ape that swings rapidly through the forest canopy. It is assessed as Endangered.

It is known for loud morning songs and lifelong pair bonds.

Range & habitat

Forests of Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, and Sumatra.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

  • Deforestation
  • Capture for the pet trade
  • Hunting

Why it matters

A fast-moving canopy ape that disperses seeds, the lar gibbon is a flagship for Southeast Asian rainforest conservation.

Gallery

A lar gibbon in the forest canopy.

Lar gibbon (Hylobates lar), Thailand.

Image: JJ Harrison (jjharrison89@facebook.com), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Lar Gibbon

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the lar gibbon move through the forest?
It travels by brachiation — swinging hand-over-hand beneath branches — with great speed and agility, rarely coming to the ground.
Why is the lar gibbon Endangered?
Published assessments cite deforestation, capture for the pet trade, and hunting. See the IUCN Red List for the current assessment.