Grace Ann Jones, age 11, of Bessemer, Ala., for her question:

WHERE DO GIBBONS LIVE IN THE WILDS?

The smallest ape of all is called the gibbon. It lives in the forests of the Indian state of Assam and in Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Out of the wilds, the gibbon is a favorite in many zoos.

The gibbon ranges over a much wider area than other members of the ape family, including the chimpanzee, gorilla and orang utan.

There are several species of gibbons. All have long arms but no tails.

A gibbon weighs about 15 pounds and stands about three feet high. It ranges from black to pale brown in color.

Gibbons travel through the tops of trees in small groups, eating fruits and leaves. A group usually is made up of a male, a female and one or two young.

Gibbons use only their arms to swing from branch to branch.

Gibbons belong to the anthropoid ape family Pogidae. They make up the genus Hylobates.