The staff at Stone Zoo is pleased to announce another birth of an Eastern black-and-white colobus monkey.

The baby, born on October 14 to Teka (mother), age 6, and Isoke (father), age 8, made its exhibit debut yesterday. The baby, whose sex is not yet known, joins its half-sibling, born on Sept. 10, 2014 at the Zoo, on exhibit.

“We are thrilled to share the news of another exciting birth. As with any birth, we are closely monitoring the mother and baby. The baby has been observed nursing and is holding on tightly to its mother, which are both positive signs,” said John Linehan, Zoo New England President and CEO. “It will be great fun for our visitors to watch the family dynamics as the two baby colobus monkeys grow up and interact with each other, as well as with their two older siblings born at the zoo last year.”

Zoo New England participates in the Eastern Black-and-White Colobus Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is a cooperative, inter-zoo program coordinated nationally through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). SSPs are designed to maintain genetically diverse and demographically stable captive populations of species. This birth is the result of a recommended breeding.

Eastern black-and-white colobus monkeys which have great cultural and ecological significance in many parts of their native range, can be found in the forests of equatorial Africa. Newborn colobus are completely white and develop their distinctive black and white coloration around their first birthday. The u-shaped mantle of long white fur descends from the animal’s shoulders around its back. They are noted for their huge, fluffy white tail that helps them balance and steer as they make long leaps between trees and branches.

These animals live in territorial groups based upon a single male with a number of females and their offspring. Arboreal and diurnal, they spend most of the day foraging and sleeping in trees.

Learn more about the colobus monkey in Stone Zoo's Animals section.

Please note: The colobus monkey can be seen on exhibit as long as the temperature is at least 55 degrees.

Photo courtesy of Dayle Sullivan-Taylor