ANIMAL: Siamang Symphalangus syndactylus Type of Animal: Gibbon Habitat: Hill forest, rainforest, monsoon forest, swamp forest, montane forest Location(s): Malay Peninsula & Sumatra Appearance: Largest gibbon species, black w/ gular throat sac used for loud calls, very long arms Food/Diet: Fruit, leaves, flowers, seeds, bark, shoots, insects, spiders, small birds, petals, vines, woody plants, buds, veggies, nuts, eggs, small rodents, small lizards, turtle/tortoise hatchlings Status in Wild: Endangered Conservation: Breeding in zoos & wildlife centers Lifestyle: Family troops of monogamous pair w/ 2-4 offspring Additional Info: Called: Male Female Young-Infant Group-Troop Weight: Male-26.2 lbs Female-23.6 lbs Young-2.25 lbs Gestation: 7.5 months Life Span: 25-30 years in wild, up to 40 years in captivity Height: Male-3 ft Female-2.9 ft Body Length: Male-3 ft Female-2.9 ft Main predators are felids, crocodiles, & eagles. Endangered due to logging, habitat loss, pet trade, forest fires, disease, poaching for medicinal trade, & human development. Territories range from 50-100 acres. Young stay w/ parents until they reach sexual maturity at 6-8 years old. To designate territory, pairs sing duets lasting up to 15 minutes. These often consist of loud pant-hoots & each pair has their own unique duet. Like all gibbons, they’re very arboreal & spend most of their time in the canopy. Actual fights very rare among this species w/ displays & calls being more common. Female dominant over male. Due to habit of brachiating, bone fractures quite common. They groom each other to reinforce bonds. Females give birth every 2.5 years. Fun Fact(s): They can leap as far as 30 ft. They awake at dawn & family often communally defecates together. Often suspended by one arm during feeding time. They don’t have a collar bone allowing for 360 degree arm movement. Their arm span can reach up to 5 ft. Their calls can be heard as far as 2 miles away & are the loudest of the gibbons. While they look like monkeys, they’re actually apes since they lack tails. They can cause lots of damage w/ their sharp canine teeth.
