A black and white colobus monkey has been born at Fota Wildlife Park in Co Cork.
The monkey was born on October 30th to parents Freya and Juggs, with the park now inviting the public to help choose a name.
Freya was born in December 2017 and arrived at the wildlife park in January 2022 from La Palmyre Zoo in France. Juggs, born in November 2007, has been a resident at Fota since June 2011, having transferred from Belfast Zoo as part of a European breeding programme. The new arrival has one older sister, Frida, born in August 2024.
The park said while the baby monkey has become increasingly active and mobile in recent weeks, it still sports the distinctive white infant coat, which will gradually develop into the species’ striking black and white colouring as it matures.
Fota Wildlife Park is inviting members of the public to help name the new baby colobus monkey. Photograph: Sinéad Donnachie/Fota Wildlife Park
Teresa Power, lead ranger, said: “The arrival of the young colobus, whose gender is not yet known, has been met with great excitement. The baby’s white, curly coat will slowly darken into the striking black-and-white coat for which the species is known over the next few weeks and months.
“The arrival of this baby colobus is a powerful reminder that life continues behind the scenes, even while our gates were closed to the public for 10 weeks between October 14th and December 20th. Throughout that time, our dedicated teams continued to provide world-class animal care and deliver critical conservation work every single day.”
Fota Wildlife Park reopened shortly before Christmas after it was closed to the public in order to manage an avian influenza outbreak which originated from wild bird populations.
“The birth underscores the significant survival challenges facing primates, the vital role of species breeding programmes, which are cooperative enterprises between many zoos and wildlife parks in Europe and the UK and also the wide-ranging conservation initiatives carried out at Fota Wildlife Park,” added Ms Power.
Colobus monkeys are native to the forests of Central Africa and are known for their black and white fur and long, flowing tails. The species has been hunted for centuries because of its unique coat. It is also threatened by agricultural developments and timber production within its native habitats.
Suggestions for a name for the baby monkey are being accepted via the Fota Wildlife Park website.