Geissmann, T. and Braendle, C. (1997). Helping behaviour in captive pileated gibbons (Hylobates pileatus). Folia Primatologica 68: 110-112.

Helping behaviour in captive pileated gibbons (Hylobates pileatus)

Thomas Geissmann and Christian Braendle
Anthropological Institute, University Zürich-Irchel, Switzerland

Key words: Helping behaviour; behavioural development; Hylobates pileatus; pileated gibbon; infant carrying.

Abstract: Helping behaviour, defined as the care of offspring by individuals other than their parents, appears to be particularly common in monogamous mammals. Although all gibbon species typically live in monogamous family groups, there are extremely few observations of helping behaviour (usually in the form of carrying younger siblings). This paper reports on helping behaviour observed in a captive family group of pileated gibbons (Hylobates pileatus) at the Zürich Zoo. These observations were made during a study on the behavioural development of an infant pileated gibbon reared in its natal group during its first year of life.