Bornean Gibbon (Owa-owa)

The Owa-owa (Hylobates muelleri) or bornean gibbon is an inhabitant of lowland rainforest. Like humans, they life in family groups, each group consisting of a male/female pairing, and their offspring. To gurantee their survival, each group maintains a vigorously defended territory. Frequent and loud calls warn other groups not to cross the territorial boundaries. The increasing loss the remaining lowland rainforest is a major threat to gibbon populations. The Sungai Wain Protection Forest near Balikpapan is one place that these gibbons are still found.