IUCN STATUS: Endangered
Symphalangus syndactylus
The siamang is the largest member of the gibbon family and has one of the loudest calls of all primates, enhanced by their large throat sac, which they use to protect their territory.
Pairs of siamangs sing duets, with the male and female taking different parts.
Siamangs will spend up to half of the day resting and they will often take a lunchtime nap.
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Lifespan: Up to 40 years
Weight: 12kg
Size: Up to 1m
Diet: Omnivore
Did you know?: The siamang’s throat sac can be inflated to almost the same size as its head!
Diet
Their diet mainly consists of fruit, but will also consume leaves, insects, flowers and bird's eggs.
Habitat
Found in the tropical rainforests, evergreen forests, and montane forests of the island of Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, and southern Thailand.
Threats
One of the most serious threats facing the siamang is the loss of habitat due to the palm oil industry, forest fires and logging. The illegal pet trade is also causing a significant decline in numbers as adults are killed when the infants are cruelly taken for pets.
Conservation
Most siamangs in zoos are a mixture of subspecies, however the siamangs at Port Lympne are pure Sumatran and therefore are candidates for future rewilding.
