Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - A new resident was welcomed at the zoo on Jan. 7 when patas monkeys Addie and M.J. became parents.
According to the staff at Rosamond Gifford Zoo, the gender of the new addition will not be known for several weeks. Once they know, the baby monkey will be given a name.
“We take a ‘hands-off’ approach with all primates at the zoo to ensure proper socialization within the group,” said Ted Fox, curator at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. “Addie is a wonderful mother and has successfully raised offspring in the past. She is very protective of the baby, only allowing her daughter, Sara, to touch it.”
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is one of just 15 that house patas monkeys.
Patas monkeys are members of the Guenon family, a diverse group of African monkeys found from the rainforest of Western Africa through the savannahs of Kenya. With their slender bodies and long limbs, patas monkeys are better physically suited for a life on the ground rather than up in the trees.
They are one of the fastest primates, capable of reaching speeds upwards of 30 miles per hour. Patas are recognized by a black brow ridge and nose, as well as by a distinctive white area surrounding their mouths that resembles a moustache.
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