Gibbon live in tropical and sub-tropical forests in China, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Their primary method of locomotion is brachiation - swinging from branch to branch using only their arms. Gibbons are considered to be the fastest and most agile, non-flying arboreal mammal.

They’re the only mammal in the world with a ball and socket joint in their wrists (similar to our shoulders and hips). This makes their wrists much stronger and more flexible than ours, so they can swing skillfully through the branches further and faster than any other ape. In fact, they’re the quickest and most agile of all tree-dwelling mammals (apart from bats). The fastest gibbons have been clocked at 55km/h (34mph).

Gibbons typically live in family groups that consist of a socially-bonded pair and their offspring. They are extremely territorial. Each species has a unique call or song that helps in social bonding and serves as a territorial display. Male and female parts of the song are usually distinct.