White-handed gibbon portrait

Lar gibbon

Lar gibbons can be found in forests across China and southeast Asia. They usually live in family groups, with one reproducing male and female and their offspring. Fruit makes up 50% of their diet, but they also feed on leaves, insects, flowers, stems and buds. Like other gibbons, their loud territorial calls can be heard echoing through the forest in the early morning.

Scientific name: Hylobates lar

Rank: Species

Common names:

White-handed gibbon

Watch video clips from past programmes (2 clips)



Map showing the distribution of the Lar gibbon taxa

Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.



The following habitats are found across the Lar gibbon distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.

Rainforest Rainforest



Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web

Conservation Status


  1. EX - Extinct
  2. EW
  3. CR - Threatened
  4. EN - Threatened
  5. VU - Threatened
  6. NT
  7. LC - Least concern

Population trend: Decreasing

Year assessed: 2008

Classified by: IUCN 3.1


BBC News about Lar gibbon

Video collections
