Baby Monkey Settling In At Lincoln Park Zoo
CHICAGO (STMW) -- A bright orange baby Francois' langur gets to follow up the New Year's festivities with its one-month birthday at Lincoln Park Zoo.
The radiant young primate was born Dec. 2 to proud parents Pumpkin and Cartman, according to officials at the North Side zoo.
It's the sixth successful offspring for the happy couple, who were recommended to breed as part of a Francois' langur species survival plan, zoo officials said.
The infant joins sisters Kieu and Orla and brother Pierre, along with another adult female named Chi at the zoo's Helen Brach Primate House.
Its sex and measurements hadn't yet been determined, as the baby was still clinging tightly to Pumpkin and Chi, officials said.
"Pumpkin is a very experienced mother and the troop is being very supportive of the newest addition," curator Maureen Leahy said. "Soon we can expect to see the other females in the troop start taking turns in carrying the infant, a process known as alloparenting."
Francois' langurs are marked by black fur with a white stripe stretching from ear-to-ear and a black crest atop the head. Infants are born a vibrant orange hue, which scientists think helps populations identify the young and encourages them to chip in with alloparenting. The color then fades to black within three to six months.
The species has been left endangered due to hunting and loss of habitat in their native areas of southern China, northern Vietnam and west-central Laos.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2015. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
