Gibbon vs Monkey: What's the Difference?
A gibbon is a small ape, not a monkey. Like all apes it has no tail, and it swings arm over arm between branches. The gibbon isn't dangerous to people; the monkey can be dangerous to people.
Common questions
Is a gibbon a monkey?
No. A gibbon is a small ape, one of the lesser apes. Like all apes it has no tail, and it swings arm over arm between branches.
Quick answers
They differ on 2 of the 8 quick answers: carnivore, dangerous.
| Question | Gibbon | Monkey |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Mammal | Mammal |
| Carnivore? differs | No, herbivore | Omnivore |
| Dangerous? differs | No | Can be |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? | Daytime | Daytime |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? | No | No |
| Do people eat it? | In places | In places |
At a glance
| Question | Gibbon | Monkey |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | Asia | Africa, Asia, South America, Central America |
| Habitat differs | Rainforest, Forest | Rainforest, Forest, Grassland |
| Size differs | Medium | Small |
| Legs | 4 | 4 |
| Covered in | Fur | Fur |
| Lives differs | In pairs | In troops |
| Lives for differs | 25–40 years | 15–25 years |
| Can fly | No | No |
| Swims differs | No | Yes |
| Lays eggs | No | No |
About each
Gibbon
The lesser apes: about 20 species of tailless apes of Asian forests. They swing arm over arm (brachiation) up to 15 m at a time at up to 55 km/h, and mated pairs sing duets that can carry 1 km.
Monkey
Primates of the Americas, Africa and Asia, split into New World and Old World monkeys. They range from the pygmy marmoset, at about 100 g, to the male mandrill, at up to 36 kg.
Sources
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Commonly confused animals.