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SALT LAKE CITY — Springtime is known for baby animals, and the Utah’s Hogle Zoo has been living up to that expectation this year.
The youngest and newest resident is a white, fuzzy colobus monkey. Born to mom Violet, 11, and dad Sefu, 17, the baby monkey was born on March 30.
“Mom and baby are doing well — he’s staying tucked in Violet’s arms as he nurses and begins to take in the sights, sounds and smells of his new environment,” the zoo said.
Baby boy is the third offspring of Violet and Sefu. Colobus monkeys are born with white fur but transition to black and white coloration as they grow into adults.
“Colobus monkeys engage in alloparenting, where females in the troop share in the care of infants. Alloparenting allows young female colobus monkeys without babies to observe and practice maternal care,” the zoo said in a statement.
The rest of the monkey troop is getting to know their newest member and helping care for him in the zoo’s Primate Forest. But Violet is staying close to her baby, keeping him safe, healthy and comfortable, the zoo said.
Colobus monkeys are found in central and eastern Africa, spending times in the treetops of dense forests. The species’ population is declining due to habitat loss, poaching and increased conflict with humans, the zoo said.
The baby can be spotted in the indoor and outdoor habitats the colobus troop lives in. Other new babies at the zoo include Nguvu, the 2-month-old giraffe calf, the almost 10-month-old snow leopard cubs Pavlova and Bhutan, and 11-month-old Addo, the western lowland gorilla.
