Meet Briony, Woodland Park Zoo’s new female siamang (see-a-mang). Briony arrived at the zoo in the fall of 2008 in need of a new partner after having lost her previous mate. She has been adjusting well to life with Simon, Woodland Park Zoo’s male siamang. In February 2009, Briony was adventuring outside the familiarity of her indoor exhibit space to the beautiful outdoor landscape the siamangs share—though so far she has stayed pretty close to the door!

Over time, as Briony built her bond with Simon and became more comfortable with her outdoor exhibit, finding the two high up in the treetops singing their new duet together. Siamang vocals are so powerful that many zoo neighbors in Phinney Ridge and Fremont are able to hear the siamangs’ song in their homes.

Prior to Briony's arrival, Sutera, Simon’s previous partner, was called on a Species Survival Plan (SSP) mission to Little Rock Zoo to be matched with a 5-year-old male. This pair has been selected by the SSP as a good match to best preserve genetic diversity in the captive population of this critically endangered Asian lesser ape.