Welcome, Ficus! St. Louis Zoo welcomes first monkey born since opening of outdoor primate habitat | Hot List
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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.
This adorable little boy joined the St. Louis Zoo on March 21, 2022. The baby Guereza colobus monkey, named Ficus, can be seen with his family group at the Primate House or Primate Canopy Trails.
Ficus is the first monkey born at the Zoo since the opening of Michael and Quirsis Riney Primate Canopy Trails, a 35,000-square-foot outdoor expansion connected to the Primate House.
His birth is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan for the Guereza colobus monkey, a conservation breeding program to manage a genetically healthy population of Guereza colobus monkeys in North American zoos. Since 2011, there have been 11 successful colobus births at the Zoo. The baby has a number of siblings at the Zoo, including Juniper, who was born to the same parents last year.
Mom Cecelia is 22 years old and the dominant female in the group of five males and four females. The experienced mother of seven is taking great care of her newborn. The new baby will stay with mom for nursing and sleeping, but all of the females in a colobus family will take turns holding and carrying the infant when Mom is busy eating or socializing. The father, Kima, is 16 years old and can be seen watching over his family and interacting with the youngsters.
Valerie Schremp Hahn
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
On Tuesday, the St. Louis Zoo announced the birth of a female Guereza colobus monkey, named Juniper. Juniper, born on April 8, can be seen with her family group at the zoo’s primate house. Her siblings are Willow, Hawthorn and Teak. Juniper’s mom, Cecelia, 21, is the dominant female in the group of four males and four females. She’s a mom of six, and is taking great care of Juniper, officials at the zoo say. The father, Kima, 15, watches nearby, as the other females in the group take turns watching and holding Juniper.
Welcome, Juniper! Guereza colobus monkey born at St. Louis Zoo
On Tuesday, the St. Louis Zoo announced the birth of a female Guereza colobus monkey, named Juniper. Juniper, born on April 8, can be seen with her family group at the zoo’s primate house. Her siblings are Willow, Hawthorn and Teak. Juniper’s mom, Cecelia, 21, is the dominant female in the group of four males and four females. She’s a mom of six, and is taking great care of Juniper, officials at the zoo say. The father, Kima, 15, watches nearby, as the other females in the group take turns watching and holding Juniper.
Welcome, Juniper! Guereza colobus monkey born at St. Louis Zoo
On Tuesday, the St. Louis Zoo announced the birth of a female Guereza colobus monkey, named Juniper. Juniper, born on April 8, can be seen with her family group at the zoo’s primate house. Her siblings are Willow, Hawthorn and Teak. Juniper’s mom, Cecelia, 21, is the dominant female in the group of four males and four females. She’s a mom of six, and is taking great care of Juniper, officials at the zoo say. The father, Kima, 15, watches nearby, as the other females in the group take turns watching and holding Juniper.
