The Indian Express ·
The gibbon’s song, the noise of man
Opinion The gibbon’s song, the noise of man
A report in The Guardian about research by an international team on the dark lar in Malaysia shows how the animal is less vocal when it is close to human settlements and the sound of traffic
In the jungle, the sound of silence is a cacophony. A chorus of insects, birds, mammals and reptiles talk within and across species, often to each other’s benefit. The dark lar, or white-handed gibbon, is a particularly adept vocalist, and its range has been compared to an opera singer’s. Like the langurs of the Subcontinent, the white-handed gibbon’s calls communicate among members of a troupe and also serve as an alarm for approaching predators and intruders for other species. Unfortunately, the soprano of the simians is singing less.
