Gibbons are the most specialised arboreal apes whose zoo welfare depends on extensive climbing structures that allow their unique brachiation locomotion.
Gibbon welfare in captivity requires physical environments that accommodate their unique mode of locomotion. Brachiation is not merely a preference but a fundamental expression of gibbon anatomy that has co-evolved with arboreal forest environments. Gibbons in low-height or inadequately structured enclosures cannot express their primary locomotion mode, causing welfare compromise similar to denying an aquatic animal access to water. Tall, complex climbing structures are a welfare necessity, not an enrichment luxury.