Gibbons are unique among primates for their elaborate duet songs that strengthen pair bonds and defend territories, and habitat loss is silencing these remarkable vocalizations across Southeast Asia.
Gibbon welfare is deeply intertwined with habitat integrity. These animals evolved for continuous forest canopy and their behavioral repertoire — including elaborate vocal duets — depends on intact forest territories. Fragmented populations experience the welfare costs of increased ranging effort, inability to find mates, and the stress of territorial exposure without adequate refuge. The silence of gibbon song in degraded landscapes reflects not just conservation loss but the welfare failure of animals whose behavioral needs cannot be met. Forest protection and corridor restoration are essential for both gibbon welfare and the survival of some of the rarest primates on Earth.