ATLANTA — If you’re heading to Zoo Atlanta soon, you can be one of the first people to visit a new monkey.
A baby Schmidt’s guenon monkey was born on Saturday. He doesn’t have a name yet, though.
Zoo officials say the baby’s parents, Bam and JJ, both live at Zoo Atlanta and were recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to help grow the Schmidt’s guenon population in North American zoos.
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“Zoo Atlanta is thrilled to welcome the Schmidt’s guenon infant. Unlike many other African rainforest animals, Schmidt’s guenons are not currently classified as threatened, but the challenges they face in the wild are the same as those faced by other species,” said Gina Ferrie, PhD, Vice President of Collections and Conservation.
Most guenons have large cheek pouches where they can store food while foraging and have large chestnut-colored tails that can grow nearly three feet long. They also have heart-shaped noses and grey-blue coloring around their eyes.
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While the species population isn’t threatened, their habitats in the wild are threatened by deforestation, according to zoo officials.
Bam and JJ had another baby, Flynn, in 2022.
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