Tulsa Zoo Announces Birth Of Siamang

The Tulsa Zoo announced the birth of an endangered siamang primate on Monday.

In a news release, the zoo said Sophie, a female siamang at the zoo, gave birth to a baby on February 10.

The birth marks the first siamang to be born at the Tulsa Zoo in 23 years and the 14th siamang birth since the Tulsa Zoo began exhibiting the species in 1968.

Zoo officials say mother and the baby are doing well as father, Jambi, remains close to the pair.

The new addition, the baby whose sex is not yet known, will remain in an off-exhibit area while Tulsa Zoo staff monitors the baby to ensure that everything continues to go well.

The zoo says siamangs are primates native to the rain forest canopies of Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Tulsa Zoo soon will break ground on a new siamang exhibit as part of its Lost Kingdom complex, which is slated to open in 2015.