A Mother's Day Treat at the Zoo

Spring brought April Showers, May Flowers,
And a Baby Colobus Monkey to the Wildlife Conservation Society's Central Park Zoo!

May 8, 2008 - New York, NY - Let's face it, May flowers are lovely, but not quite as adorable as a baby monkey! Fortunately, the Central Park Zoo has both. While the budding flowers and blossoming trees are alone worth the visit, a new reason to check out the zoo arrived on April 26 in the form of a baby colobus monkey, just in time for Mother's Day. This tiny ball of fur can be found in the Rain Forest, most likely nestled next to Mom, Tana, a long time resident of the zoo.

Currently sporting an all white coat, the baby, whose gender is still unknown, will start to grow its adult black and white coloring in about three months. Around that time, the little one will start leaving Mom's side and will find likely playmates among Nicky, Cody, and Kima, all three born to the troop in the last two years.

Colobus monkeys live in territorial groups of 7 to 11 members, including a single male, several females, and their young. They are native to the forests of Central Africa, ranging from Nigeria to Ethiopia and down into Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. While females stay in the same group for life, males leave as they near sexual maturity. Colobus monkeys are highly social and spend much of their time grooming each other while lounging in tree branches, where they primarily eat young, protein-rich leaves.

WCS has over 900 individuals working to preserve the wildlife and wild lands of Africa, as deforestation and human overpopulation threaten thousands of species, including the colobus monkey. Another danger plaguing these beautiful primates is the bushmeat industry (wildlife killed by commercial and subsistence hunters). WCS research has revealed that over a million metric tons of bushmeat are taken each year from African forests alone. Using a combination of hard science and the involvement of local communities, national governments, and even logging companies, WCS seeks solutions to control the bushmeat trade.

The Central Park Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos & Aquariums' (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for the black and white colobus monkey. The SSP manages the breeding of certain threatened and endangered wildlife species in order to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse, and stable population.
The Central Park Zoo, a Wildlife Conservation Society park, is located at 64th Street and Fifth Avenue. Admission is $8 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, $3 for children 3 to 12, and free for children under 3. Admission includes entry into the main Zoo and the Tisch Children's Zoo. Zoo hours are 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., weekdays, and 10 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. weekends. Tickets are sold until one half-hour before closing. For further information, please call 212-439-6500 or visit www.centralparkzoo.com

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide.  We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo.  Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony.  WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. For further information, visit www.wcs.org.