Buff-cheeked Gibbon

Nomascus gabriellae

Also known as Yellow-cheeked Gibbon, Red-cheeked Gibbon

mammals4 U.S. zoos
Where to see one
4 U.S. zoos in our directory hold buff-cheeked gibbon, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.

Conservation status

Not Evaluated

This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.

About the buff-cheeked gibbon

The buff-cheeked gibbon, also called the yellow-cheeked or golden-cheeked gibbon, is native to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and was named after British naturalist Gabrielle Maud Vassal. It lives in primary tropical forest, where it is diurnal and arboreal, foraging for fruit and swinging through the trees by brachiation. Young are born blond and darken to black, males keeping the black coat with golden cheeks, while females turn back to blond at sexual maturity and retain only a black cap. Groups call loudly in the early morning, and mated pairs duet with coordinated songs containing sex-specific phrases. Its life span is thought to be around 46 years.

Buff-cheeked Gibbon facts

  • Females are born blond, turn black, and return to blond at sexual maturity.
  • Mated pairs perform coordinated duets with sex-specific phrases.
  • Adult gibbons live in the forest crown, with humans as their main natural predator.
  • The largest known population, in Cambodia's Keo Seima area, was estimated at 1,432 individuals in 2020.

Where to see buff-cheeked gibbon in the U.S.

4 zoos across 4 states

Find the closest one

Rank the 4 zoos holding buff-cheeked gibbon by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.

California· 1

Illinois· 1

Minnesota· 1

Ohio· 1

AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this

Built from each zoo's own published animal list.

More animals like this

All mammals