Monkey Shine

Gibbons are fascinating creatures. They are apes, not monkeys, classified as lesser apes to be specific. They exhibit many of the general characteristics of primates: flat faces, stereoscopic vision, enlarged brain size, grasping hands and feet, and opposable digits; and many specific characteristics of apes: broad chest, full shoulder rotation, no tail, and arms longer than legs. At least a handful of these characteristics apply to a certain monkey we know, one that hails from the north.

Gibbons are by far, one of the cuter ape species, even with their unusually long arms. This extremely agile creature enjoys a physically challenging environment; provide a gibbon with some rope or a pillowcase, and the gibbon will find a way to become tangled. Wrist restraints are childsplay to a determined gibbon.

Gibbons are the fastest tree-dwelling mammal in the world. Their agility does not save them from occasional mishap, however; while they have unerring ability to snag a branch midair, they don't always manage to hold on. Perhaps their unusually long fingers were wet? Ours quite often falls off the bed, wet fingers and all.

In fact, researchers estimate that nearly all gibbons will break one or more bones in their lifetime. Hm, has anyone noticed the scar on our gibbon's right arm?

Still, the gibbon seldom minds a tumble, and will dart quickly to safety when it's all said and done. In fact, the tumble appears to be a form of play to the gibbon, and a swift recovery may even be followed by a second, more aggressive tumble. If you can keep up with a gibbon, you will definitely enjoy the ride.

Gibbons are masters of locomotion, specifically brachiation (swinging from limb to limb). It isn't uncommon for a gibbon to hang from a limb by one long arm while using the dexterous fingers of its other arm to tweak the...em, ears of an innocent kitten. Taking on two at a time does not present a challenge to the silly imp, although he seems disappointed when the pussies get tired of his capricious nature and stroll elegantly away.

A gibbon's toes are long as well, remarkably so!, and they present more possibilities for play than one might imagine. A gibbon will try anything once, and some things he may repeat if they brought a pleasant response.

Gibbons have an enlarged sac that can inflate to equal the size of their head. Located in their throat (you dirty-minded individuals), it is used as a resonating chamber to call a mate or warn off an interloper. Our gibbon uses it to announce that Elvis Has Left The Building.

Gibbons are relatively small, slender, and agile. They have fluffy, dense hair, which ours likes to have ruffled by Amy. Gibbons are not sexually dimorphic in size; they are quite happy to mate with someone of equal stature. During the mating process, the gibbon will use its resonating chamber to sing to the object of his affection. No comment :)

Less than 6% of all primate species are considered monogamous; the gibbon is within that minority 6%, being considered a pair-bonded primate. Their social structure consists of a mated pair and up to four offspring, well would you look at that! If a gibbon was born under the sign of libra, their monogamous status would be fairly secure - libras are described as being flirty/frivolous, but loyal in marriage.

Gibbons are an endangered species, a result of deforestation. They are also hunted for their value as a beguiling pet, easy to understand if you've seen one up close. Kinda makes you wanna bring a cage to pool tonight, eh?