While currently classed as 3 different species, recent analysis has shown that these species are actually very similar, and likely subspecies of each other. These species may well be split out in the future, but for the time being I will have them all on this page.

The Northern white cheeked gibbon is currently only found in northern Vietnam and North Laos. They were found in China in recent times and were only declared on the edge of extirpation in 2008. They were officially declared extinct in China in 2013. While there may be no space for its return to China in the near future, should it survive elsewhere there is a likelihood for it to return to China at some point in the future. There are only a few protected areas where this gibbon survives, and probably number between 200-400 in the wild.

The Southern white cheeked gibbon had an original range that covered central Vietnam and central Laos. While it is still common in the large remaining forest blocks within this area, these patches are scattered and fragmented by human encroachment and deforestation. The Southern white cheeked gibbon has also suffered declines of around 50% over the last 45 years.

Finally the Yellow cheecked gibbon ( also known as the golden-cheeked gibbon, the yellow-cheeked crested gibbon, the golden-cheeked crested gibbon, the red-cheeked gibbon and finally  the buffed-cheeked gibbon) is also closely related to these two – at various times one or more of these species has been considered a subspecies of one of the other, as such they are clearly closely related. Whether these species will remain separate or not, I have chosen to handle them together. This is found in various areas of Vietnam Laos and Cambodia.

It has various stable populations  in reserves, but how well it does outside protected areas is less clear.