The Hainan gibbon, "the giant panda of Hainan", is endemic to the province. There are 20 gibbon species recognized worldwide, of which six are known to come from China. The Hainan gibbon is the most endangered of them all and one of the world's rarest primates. They can mainly be found in Bawangling National Nature Reserve in Changjiang county, western Hainan, which is part of the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park.

Previously, the life expectancy of a Hainan gibbon was around 30 years, but due to the improvement of their environment, they can now live up to more than 40 years, according to Qi Xuming, director of the Education and Publicity Division of Bawangling Branch of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park Administration. In recent years, staff members of the reserve administration have spotted a greater number of young, healthy gibbons.