SEMINAR: Gibbon Ecology and Distribution: Unanswered Questions

The Seminar: Despite the considerable knowledge we have accumulated about gibbons (Primates: Hylobatidae), which now include 17 recognized species, some of the most basic questions about their biology remain unanswered. One challenge is to explain why there is so little overlap in ranges (sympatry) between species, and a related phenomenon, the general lack of ecological radiation of the species. There are several possible reasons, which will lead to a discussion of the unique ecology and behavior patterns, including foraging habits, competition and social structure. The ecology and behavior of two species, Hylobates lar and H. pileatus, in a contact zone in Thailand will be brought into focus, as this zone provides an important testing ground for several theories.

The Speaker: Warren Brockelman is a retired professor of Biology at Mahidol University, Thailand and currently serves as an advisor at the Institute of Molecular Biosciences at Mahidol University, and works as an Associate Researcher at the BIOTEC Central Research Unit, National Science and Technology Development Agency. His basic interests lie in ecology and population biology, but he has carried out research in several distinct fields including amphibian ecology, human helminth transmission and primate ecology. Since 1975, his interests have emphasized the ecology and behavior of gibbons, and also the transmission of human parasites.