The residents of the St. Louis Zoo’s Primate Canopy Trails have welcomed a new addition: a baby Guereza colobus monkey named Ficus.
Ficus is the first monkey born at the zoo since Primate Canopy Trails, a 35,000-square-foot outdoor expansion connected to the Primate House, opened in summer 2021.
He was born March 21 and can be seen there with his family group, which include his siblings with tree-themed names: Juniper, Willow, Hawthorn and Teak.
His mom is Cecilia, and his dad is Kima.
The family group of nine is the largest group the zoo has had, and access to the outdoor setting makes it fun to watch the family dynamic play out, primate keeper Brooke Johnson said.
“One-year-old Juniper is learning how to share her mom with her new baby brother and is incredibly curious yet very gentle with him,” she said in a statement. “Big sisters Binti and Willow continue to be great babysitters and can be seen frequently holding their baby brother while mom Cecelia finds food or enjoys a grooming session from dad Kima or one of her sons.”
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Ficus is adventurous and practices walking away from his mother. He watches his siblings chase and play and will soon be joining them, Johnson said.
There have been 11 successful colobus births at the zoo since 2011. Ficus’ birth is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Colobus Species Survival Plan, which helps make sure the animals born at North American zoos are genetically healthy.
The infants are born with all-white hair and a pink face, and they reach adult coloration at around 6 months of age. Then, they are mostly black with white hair around their faces and a mantle of long white hair around their shoulders and backs.
Colobus monkeys, native to central Africa, are “fairly abundant” in the wild, according to the zoo, but are increasingly threatened by deforestation and illegal hunting.
Welcome, Juniper! Guereza colobus monkey born at St. Louis Zoo
Welcome, Juniper! Guereza colobus monkey born at St. Louis Zoo
Welcome, Juniper! Guereza colobus monkey born at St. Louis Zoo
Welcome, Juniper! Guereza colobus monkey born at St. Louis Zoo
Saturday, April 23rd, 2022
Thursday, April 21st, 2022
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Saturday, April 23rd, 2022
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