TAMPA, Fla. — An endangered baby siamang was born at ZooTampa early last week.
A siamang is a black-furred gibbon, which is a type of ape, native to the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
The baby was born to mother Hutan and father Sensei. The gender is unknown but the gibbon joins 3-year-old sister Kazuki at the zoo, according to a Facebook post.
Zoo staff said it will be a few weeks before the gender is known, but they are "happy to announce that both mom and baby are doing well."
“The entire ZooTampa family is very excited about the expansion of our siamang family,” said Chris Massaro, Chief Zoological Officer at the zoo. “Siamangs are endangered, so every birth is extremely important and a sign of hope for the species. The baby is doing well and guests visiting the Zoo may get a glimpse of the new arrival in the coming days.”
The animals are the largest of the gibbon species. They form "extremely tight" family bonds and fathers play a significant role in raising the young, unlike many species in the wild, according to zoo officials.
They are partly known for their calls where their inflatable throat sac aids in amplifying the calls.
Siamangs are listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Their population is decreasing because of forest conversion, mining, road construction and hunting, among other factors.
