SIAMANG
BY: ETHAN TOSCANO
Background Info
The siamang is the largest and darkest species of gibbon. These very acrobatic primates live in southeast Asia. They spend most of their lives in trees. Because they are so dextrous while moving in the trees, almost no predators can catch them. The siamang is the largest, darkest, and noisiest species of gibbon. Siamangs have a throat sac which they can inflate to be about the size of their head.
Threats of Extinction
Several gibbon species are threatened by imminent extinction in the very near future. Gibbons not only include the most endangered apes but also the most endangered primate species of the world. The main reasons for this are habitat loss and degradation, hunting and illegal trade. Preservation of the tropical forest is imperative to gibbon survival - if it disappears, so do the gibbons.
Solutions for protection of the animal
Siamangs are losing their natural habitat as human agriculture encroaches upon it and population numbers are decreasings. Here are some ways to help endangerments:
Advocating for increased funding for private landowner incentives and other conservation programs that benefit endangered species.
Protecting and restoring the habitats on which endangered species and other wildlife depend for their survival, and encouraging wildlife-friendly land management practices.
Reducing threats to wildlife that can lead to their endangerment and extinction, such as loss of habitat, contamination of water and spread of invasive species.
Siamang Gibbons howling at Miami Metrozoo