A lonely male siamang who calls Tasmania home has found romance with a new arrival from France.
Schtroumfette touched down in the state recently to meet Ollie, who had been living solo “for a while” at Tasmania Zoo after Australian breeding programs failed to find him a suitable partner.
The international romance is the culmination of years of behind-the-scenes work by conservationists struggling to maintain genetic diversity in captive populations of the endangered species.
“We are beyond excited to introduce our newest member of the zoo family, Schtroumfette,” Tasmania Zoo said.
“She has travelled all the way from France to join our male siamang Ollie and so far he seems very impressed with his new French girlfriend.”
The small, black-furred apes are native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia, where they face extinction due to widespread habitat destruction.
Known for their haunting calls that can carry for kilometres through dense forest, siamangs typically form lifelong pair bonds and perform elaborate vocal duets.
“We’re very proud to now have a breeding pair of siamangs, playing a vital role importing new animals to ensure strong and healthy genetics within the Australasian breeding program,” Tasmania Zoo said.
“Lots to look forward to for Ollie and Schtroumfette in years to come.”
Visitors can meet the new couple during the school holidays.
