TAMPA, Fla. (November 1, 2024) – ZooTampa at Lowry Park announces its latest arrival, an endangered siamang baby who was born in the evening hours of Sunday, October 27, to mother Hutan and father Sensei. The little siamang, who joins sister Kazuki (3), is clinging to its mother tightly and has been observed nursing. It will be few weeks before the sex of the baby is known. 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. “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.”
Siamangs, the largest of the gibbon species, are black furred apes with long arms and opposable thumbs and toes. They form extremely tight family bonds and fathers play a significant role in raising the young, unlike many species in the wild. A siamang’s call includes “barks” and “booms,” and their inflatable throat sac aids in amplifying their calls.
Siamang gibbons live in treetops in the tropical forests of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. They are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to habitat destruction, degradation and fragmentation of their habitats, and opportunistic poaching.
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About ZooTampa at Lowry Park: ZooTampa at Lowry Park is operated by the Lowry Park Zoological Society, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to excellence in conservation, education, and research. The Zoo, an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for over 30 years, is recognized as Florida’s leading and most attended zoological cultural attraction. ZooTampa and its David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center, were voted among the “Best Zoos” and “Best Zoo Exhibits” in USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Awards. The Zoo is also a twelve-time winner of the Trip Advisor Travelers’ Choice Award (2010-2023), ranking it among the top 10% of attractions worldwide. ZooTampa is a nationally recognized leader in the rehabilitation and care of Florida species. ZooTampa is one of only 3 places in the United States that can take in critically injured and sick manatees and one of only two facilities that can care for orphaned calves. Through its ZT Saves conservation initiative, ZooTampa provides support to local and global conservation programs that are positioned at the forefront of species survival. The Zoo is located at 1101 W. Sligh Avenue in Tampa and is open seven days a week (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours for select events. For more information, visit www.zootampa.org [zootampa.org] or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and YouTube.


