White-handed gibbons are small, monogamous apes of Southeast Asia whose brachiation through forest canopy is among the most athletic locomotion of any primate. Captive management must provide tall, complex structures and bonded pair or family group housing.
Gibbons kept in low, undersized enclosures develop stereotypic swaying, persistent vocalisation, and hair pulling that indicate profound psychological suffering. Welfare best practice requires tall, structurally complex rope and bar networks spanning at least 15 metres horizontally, permanent pair or family group housing, and daily feeding enrichment that extends foraging time. Positive reinforcement training enables voluntary participation in veterinary procedures. Conservation programmes in Thailand and other range states aim to rehabilitate captive-released gibbons and protect remaining forest corridors.