Fota Wildlife Park Invites Public to Help Name New Black-and-White Colobus Baby Monkey
Fota Wildlife Park is delighted to announce the birth of a black-and-white colobus monkey (Colobus guereza), born on the 30th of October to parents Freya and Juggs, and is now inviting the public to help choose a name for the newest member of the colobus family, with name suggestions accepted via the form below.
Mother Freya, born in December 2017, arrived at Fota Wildlife Park in January 2022 from La Palmyre Zoo in France. Father Juggs, born in November 2007, has been a resident at Fota since June 2011, having transferred from Belfast Zoo as part of a European breeding programme.
The new arrival has one older sister, Frida (born 8 August 2024), who has already been spotted “babysitting” her younger sibling. While the baby is becoming increasingly active and mobile in recent weeks, it still sports the distinctive white infant coat, which will gradually develop into the species’ striking black-and-white colouring as it matures.
Lead Ranger, Teresa Power said “The arrival of the young colobus, whose gender is not yet known, has been met with great excitement. The baby’s white, curly coat will slowly darken into the striking black-and-white coat for which the species is known over the next few weeks and months.
The arrival of this baby colobus is a powerful reminder that life continues behind the scenes, even while our gates were closed to the public for ten weeks between 14 October and 20 December. Throughout that time, our dedicated teams continued to provide world-class animal care and deliver critical conservation work every single day.
The birth underscores the significant survival challenges facing primates, the vital role of species breeding programmes, which are cooperative enterprises between many zoos and wildlife parks in Europe and the UK and also the wide-ranging conservation initiatives carried out at Fota Wildlife Park.”
The black-and-white colobus monkeys are native to the forests of Central Africa and are known for their striking black and white fur and long, flowing tails. The species has been hunted for centuries because of its unique coat. It is also threatened by agricultural developments and timber production within its native habitats.
The newest member of the colobus monkey family can be seen at Fota Wildlife Park in the shared colobus and meerkat habitat, located just inside the main entrance. To be in with a chance of winning a year-long Conservation Pass to Fota Wildlife Park, submit a name suggestion with a relevant meaning or link to the species through the online form below.
Fota Wildlife Park is open daily from 9.30 am, to pre-book go to www.fotawildlife.ie.
Image/video credits: Sinéad Donnachie, Fota Wildlife Park
