Colobus Monkey Pair Welcomes Its 3rd Baby At The Maryland Zoo In Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ)— The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore welcomes a new addition. A black-and-white colobus monkey was born in the Chimpanzee Forest on Dec. 30, 2013.

This is the third baby for The Maryland Zoo's colobus pair, 16-year-old Keri, and 21-year-old Bisi. "Gonzo," born in April 2012, was the first offspring for the troop, followed by "Frida," born in March 2013.

"Mother and baby seem to be very comfortable and the baby is nursing well, which we expected as Keri is an experienced mother," Carey Ricciardone, mammal collection and conservation manager, said in a release. "The troop is coping well with the new addition – both Gonzo and Frida are naturally very curious - so the staff is monitoring them very closely."

Colobus monkeys are easily distinguishable by their black bodies and long white tails, and are highly social animals that spend most of their time sitting in the treetops eating and socializing. They take turns sleeping at night so that one member of the troop is always awake and watching for predators.

"Colobus infants are covered in white fur and cling tight to mom's belly," said Ricciardone. "As the baby grows, the white fur gradually changes to the sharp black-and-white coloration of the adult colobus. For now, you have to watch the mother closely to catch a glimpse of this newest baby."

The Maryland Zoo now has six colobus monkeys— two adult females, an adult male and the three young monkey siblings.

Zoo visitors can see the colobus monkey troop inside the Chimpanzee Forest, where they share the exhibit with red tailed guenon and African porcupines.

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