Eastern black crested gibbon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eastern black crested gibbon |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Nomascus
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| Species: |
nasutus
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| Eastern black crested gibbon subespecies distribution | |
The eastern black-crested gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) is a very special type of ape. It's also known as the Cao-vit black crested gibbon. These gibbons live in parts of China and Vietnam. For many years, people thought they might be extinct, but a small group was found again in 2002!
The name "Cao-vit" comes from the sounds these gibbons make. Villagers in Vietnam used this name for their calls or songs. This name was later used by experts after the gibbons were rediscovered.
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Eastern Black-Crested Gibbon: A Rare Ape
The eastern black-crested gibbon is one of the rarest and most critically endangered primates in the world. A primate is a group of mammals that includes monkeys, apes, and humans. Being "critically endangered" means there are very few of them left.
Why Are They So Rare?
These gibbons are in danger for a few main reasons:
- Habitat Loss: Their forest homes are being cut down. This is called deforestation.
- Human Activity: People are moving into their forest areas, which disturbs the gibbons.
- Poaching: Sadly, some people illegally hunt these animals.
Where Do They Live?
From the 1960s until the early 2000s, no one had seen these gibbons for sure. Many thought they were gone forever. But in 2002, two biologists from FFI found a small group. They found them in a special forest in Trùng Khánh District, Cao Bằng Province, in northeast Vietnam.
At first, people thought these gibbons only lived in Vietnam. But in 2006, they were also found in a small forest in Guangxi Province, China. This Chinese forest is right next to the Vietnamese forests. In 2005, experts believed there were only about 35 to 37 gibbons in Vietnam.
How Are They Different?
Eastern black-crested gibbons are unique. Scientists classify them as a separate species from other crested gibbons. They look different because of their fur color. They also have different ways of "talking" to each other through their calls.
Before, some thought they were the same as the Hainan black crested gibbon. Or they thought they were a subspecies of the black crested gibbon. But studies of their genes showed they are a distinct species. This means they are a unique type of gibbon.
