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Capuchin monkey born at the zoo!

Newquay Zoo has recently celebrated the birth of a white-throated capuchin; a primate native to the tropical forests of Central and South America.

The zoo is home to a small family of white-throated capuchins; Irazu (mum), Zaito (dad), their offspring Benito, who was born back in 2017, Baru, who was born back in 2019, and the latest addition.

The unnamed and unsexed baby is currently clinging on to mum’s back and will continue to do so for around 3 months, until the infant is old enough to do its own exploring. Capuchin babies mature slowly and are usually taken care of by their mum for the first couple of years; carrying, protecting and feeding them.

Staff at Newquay Zoo are thrilled with the new arrival, Senior Primate Keeper Danielle Wilkins: ‘Mum and baby are doing very well. She has had plenty of experience in motherhood before, so she knows what she is doing. Once the little one becomes a bit more independent and starts to venture off of mum we will be able to sex and name it.’

Found in Central America, white-throated capuchins are known to be very intelligent, but unfortunately are exploited by humans for entertainment and the pet trade.

The zoo has had a great year for breeding so far and has welcomed an array of babies, including a rare Goeldi’s monkey, 4 squirrel monkeys, a slender loris and a Humboldt penguin chick.