Reproduction

Like other primates, the Hainan Gibbons reproduce sexually. Gibbons can birth every 24 months; however, most females only give birth to about 2 offspring in their life time. Mating begins around the age of 5.5 years. The gestation period, or the time that the offspring is carried in the womb, typically ranges between 20-24 weeks, a shorter time period relative to other similar primates (Jiang Zhou et al. 2008).

Birthing times correspond with the amount food available to them: the more food, the more likely they are to reproduce because there are enough resources to provide for more individuals. (Van Ngoc Thinh et al. 2011). They participate in a polygamous mating system, meaning that there is more than 1 female that mates with a single male. The Hainan Gibbons usually pair up with a ratio of 1 male to 2 females (Jiang Zhou et al. 2008).

Gibbons have very unique behaviors that initiate the reproductive phase. During this period, females will hang from branches in a particular way to expose their chest to the potential mate. They also make a grunting noise to notify that males that which of the females are ovulating. The Hainan Gibbons also perform songs throughout the day called song bouts. A mating pair may have song bouts that conjoin into a duet (Van Ngoc Thinh et al. 2011).

 

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