Schmidt’s guenon monkey born at Zoo Atlanta
Zoo Atlanta announced the recent birth of a Schmidt’s guenon monkey on Tuesday.
The central African monkey was born Oct. 12, 2022, and the infant, a male, is the first child of its mother, Bam.
Bam and the infant’s father, JJ, were recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan to breed and contribute to the viability of the Schmidt’s guenon population in accredited North American zoos.
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The pair shares their habitat with a large group of Angolan colobus monkeys, who also recently welcomed a new arrival: a male born to Adanna on Aug. 24, 2022. Zoo Atlanta is now home to the largest group of Angolan colobus monkeys in human care in AZA zoos, according to a news release.
“Zoo Atlanta is thrilled to welcome the Schmidt’s guenon infant, and we are particularly excited to see first-time mom Bam exercising all the right maternal skills,” said Jennifer Mickelberg, Ph.D., vice president of collections and cconservation. “Anyone with the privilege of visiting the rainforests of central Africa might, in a perfect world, see several different monkey species, with many raising offspring. With the arrivals of Bam’s infant and Adanna’s infant, our Members and guests have the opportunity to experience that firsthand at the Zoo.”
The monkeys are found in rainforests, woodlands, deciduous forests, and swamplands in middle Africa, guenons are monkeys characterized by large cheek pouches used for storing food during foraging, according to the zoo.
They are also known as red-tailed monkeys, Schmidt’s guenons have long, chestnut-colored tails, which can be up to 35 inches long. The species also features heart-shaped noses and distinctive greyish-blue coloration around the eyes.
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Because they are found in multiple wild habitats in Africa and are numerous in some areas, Schmidt’s guenons are not currently classified as a threatened species.
Members and guests are encouraged to be on the lookout for both Bam’s infant and Adanna’s infant in the Monkeys of Makokou complex in the Zoo’s Ford African Rain Forest when temperatures are at or above 50 degrees. Plan a visit at zooatlanta.org.
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