Siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) (July 3, 2005) Siamang (SEE-uh-mang) belong to the family Hylobatidae, which includes all 11 gibbon (or lesser ape) species. It is the largest of the lesser apes. Siamangs are native to the island of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. Siamangs sing so loudly that it can be heard for up to 3 miles (4.8 km). To produce this loud call, siamangs have a hairless, reddish-brown or gray throat (laryngeal) pouch which acts as a resonator to enhance the carrying of their call. When not in use, the pouch is hidden under their long, shaggy, jet-black fur. When inflated, the pouch is about the size of a siamangs head, and amplifies its hooting and barking to ear-splitting levels. Usually involving the adult pair, the male and female sing different but coordinated parts; songs have a definite beginning, middle and end. Each elaborate duet begins slowly, then accelerates in speed. A song lasts about 18 seconds and is repeated for about 15 minutes. The Siamang is the largest of the lesser apes. Siamangs and gibbons are the only anthropoid apes that habitually walk erect like humans. In their treetop habitat, they will walk along a vine as if on a tightrope with their hands held high for balance. The Siamang is distinctive for two reasons. The first is that two fingers on each hand are fused together (hence the name "syndactylus"). The second is the large "gular sac" (found in the male of the species), which is a throat pouch that can be inflated to the size of its head, allowing the Siamang to make loud resonating calls or songs. This species is found in Indonesia (Barisan Mountains of west-central Sumatra), Malaysia (mountains of the Malay Peninsula south of the Perak River), and a small area of southern peninsular Thailand (Chivers 1974; Khan, 1970; O’Brien et al. 2003; Treesucon and Tantithadapitak 1997). Status: Endangered Location and status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Located in Miami, FL, Miami MetroZoo is a cageless zoo where animals roam in settings similar to their natural habitats. It is the only zoo in the United States in a subtropical climate.

Photos one through eight are my first attempt at digital photography. I decided to take the plunge and went from using a Canon AE1 to a Sony Cybershot. I have since graduate to a Canon Rebel XTi - and I must admit, it was a bit traumatic at first and I'm still learning.

Bird photos numberered 36 through 60 are found in the "Wings of Asia" exhibit.

I have attempted to put the conservation status in the description of each animal and bird. If there isn't any, that means the beautiful creature is considered "Least Concern" - for now.

Gallery pages: < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > >>

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Denise > White-handed Gibbon (Hylobates lar) (July 3, 2005)

Gibbons are considered the aerial acrobats of the animal world. Their "opposable" thumbs increase dexterity.

Their long, strong fingers help form a hook for swinging through the trees in a method of movement called "brachiation," useful in their habitat of the Southeast Asian rain forests.

The White-handed Gibbon, like the gorilla, chimpanzee, and orangutan, is an ape, not a monkey. The chief characteristics distinguishing apes from monkeys are the absence of a tail, their more or less upright posture, and the high development of their brain.

Gibbons are forest creatures that live in troops. They have long arms and legs and get around by swinging from branch to branch with their arms, like trapeze artists, or running hurriedly over branches. Their arms can be 2 1/2 times as long as their body length!

Some gibbons have a huge inflatable pouch on the throat (like a treefrog) that they use when calling.

The species as a whole is found in northern Sumatra (Indonesia), throughout Peninsular Malaysia (except for a narrow strip between the Perak and Mudah Rivers, where H. agilis occurs), north through southern and eastern Myanmar (east of the Salween River), most of Thailand (though not in the north-east), and marginally into southern China.

Status: Endangered

Location and status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Denise > Siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) (July 3, 2005)

Siamang (SEE-uh-mang) belong to the family Hylobatidae, which includes all 11 gibbon (or lesser ape) species. It is the largest of the lesser apes. Siamangs are native to the island of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula.

Siamangs sing so loudly that it can be heard for up to 3 miles (4.8 km). To produce this loud call, siamangs have a hairless, reddish-brown or gray throat (laryngeal) pouch which acts as a resonator to enhance the carrying of their call. When not in use, the pouch is hidden under their long, shaggy, jet-black fur. When inflated, the pouch is about the size of a siamangs head, and amplifies its hooting and barking to ear-splitting levels.

Usually involving the adult pair, the male and female sing different but coordinated parts; songs have a definite beginning, middle and end. Each elaborate duet begins slowly, then accelerates in speed. A song lasts about 18 seconds and is repeated for about 15 minutes.

The Siamang is the largest of the lesser apes. Siamangs and gibbons are the only anthropoid apes that habitually walk erect like humans. In their treetop habitat, they will walk along a vine as if on a tightrope with their hands held high for balance.

The Siamang is distinctive for two reasons. The first is that two fingers on each hand are fused together (hence the name "syndactylus"). The second is the large "gular sac" (found in the male of the species), which is a throat pouch that can be inflated to the size of its head, allowing the Siamang to make loud resonating calls or songs.

This species is found in Indonesia (Barisan Mountains of west-central Sumatra), Malaysia (mountains of the Malay Peninsula south of the Perak River), and a small area of southern peninsular Thailand (Chivers 1974; Khan, 1970; O’Brien et al. 2003; Treesucon and Tantithadapitak 1997).

Status: Endangered

Location and status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Denise > White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) [immature] (July 3, 2005)

The White Ibis is one of the most numerous wading birds in Florida and is common elsewhere in the southeast. The White Ibis is highly sociable at all seasons, roosting and feeding in flocks, and nesting in large colonies.

Immature White Ibis are dark brownish with a white belly, white rump, and curved red bill.

Denise > Dwarf Caiman (Paleosuchus palepebrosus) (July 3, 2005)

The smallest of the crocodiles, Dwarf Caimans rarely reach a length of five feet. Dwarf caiman are often distinguished by the unusual shape of their head. The skull sits very high and the snout makes an upturned curl. The structure of the skull suggests that they make use of burrows as shelter during the day. They are widely distributed in northern South America where they are still farily common.

Denise > Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) (July 3, 2005)

Orangutans are large, red-haired animals with four hands. They are members of a group called the Great Apes. Unlike monkeys, they have no tail. The word orangutan translates as "Person of the Forest" in Malay and Bahasa Indonesian. Orangutans are very similar to humans. They share 96.4% of our genes. The Great Apes are humankind's closest living relatives.

Pongo abelii is endemic to the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. It is generally restricted to the north of the island, north of the Batang Toru river on the west coast of North Sumatra province (Wich et al. 2003).

The Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) differs genetically and physically from the Bornean Orangutan Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus and the population is smaller.

Orangutans breed more slowly than any other primate, with the female producing a baby on average only once every 7-8 years. This makes the population extra-vulnerable to loss and accelerates the decline in numbers.

Status: Critically Endangered --> It is in grave danger of extinction.

Location and status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Denise > Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) (July 3, 2005)

Denise > Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) (July 3, 2005)

The Sun Bear is nocturnal and escapes the sun's heat by sleeping in caves or trees by day. Bowed forelegs, curved claws, and great strength equip the sun bear for tree-climbing. Named for the golden crescent, or "U" shaped golden patch on their chest, sun bears are otherwise all black with smooth, short fur.

Sun Bears occur in mainland Southeast Asia as far west as Bangladesh and northeastern India (Chauhan 2006), as far north as southern Yunnan Province in China, and south and east to Sumatra and Borneo, respectively. It now occurs very patchily through much of its former range, and has been extirpated from many areas, especially in mainland southeast Asia. Its current distribution in eastern Myanmar and most of Yunnan is unknown. Given the Sun Bear’s dependence on forest, it is clear that the large-scale deforestation that has occurred throughout southeast Asia over the past three decades has dramatically reduced suitable habitat for this species.

Status: Vulnerable

Location and status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Denise > Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) (July 3, 2005)

Siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) (July 3, 2005)

Siamang (SEE-uh-mang) belong to the family Hylobatidae, which includes all 11 gibbon (or lesser ape) species. It is the largest of the lesser apes. Siamangs are native to the island of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula.

Siamangs sing so loudly that it can be heard for up to 3 miles (4.8 km). To produce this loud call, siamangs have a hairless, reddish-brown or gray throat (laryngeal) pouch which acts as a resonator to enhance the carrying of their call. When not in use, the pouch is hidden under their long, shaggy, jet-black fur. When inflated, the pouch is about the size of a siamangs head, and amplifies its hooting and barking to ear-splitting levels.

Usually involving the adult pair, the male and female sing different but coordinated parts; songs have a definite beginning, middle and end. Each elaborate duet begins slowly, then accelerates in speed. A song lasts about 18 seconds and is repeated for about 15 minutes.

The Siamang is the largest of the lesser apes. Siamangs and gibbons are the only anthropoid apes that habitually walk erect like humans. In their treetop habitat, they will walk along a vine as if on a tightrope with their hands held high for balance.

The Siamang is distinctive for two reasons. The first is that two fingers on each hand are fused together (hence the name "syndactylus"). The second is the large "gular sac" (found in the male of the species), which is a throat pouch that can be inflated to the size of its head, allowing the Siamang to make loud resonating calls or songs.

This species is found in Indonesia (Barisan Mountains of west-central Sumatra), Malaysia (mountains of the Malay Peninsula south of the Perak River), and a small area of southern peninsular Thailand (Chivers 1974; Khan, 1970; O’Brien et al. 2003; Treesucon and Tantithadapitak 1997).

Status: Endangered

Location and status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species