See The Colobus, Howler, And Proboscis Monkey Babies At Singapore Zoo

By Isabel Cheng

Singapore - There is now new meaning to the cheeky phrase “monkeying around”. Primates at Singapore Zoo certainly have been doing a lot of that with four recent births; one each of the colobus and black howler monkeys and two proboscis monkeys. These births mark the first for the colobus after a hiatus of about 12 years, fifth for the black howler, and sixteenth and seventeenth for the proboscis monkey.

“The Singapore Zoo strives to provide an optimal environment for endangered and sensitive species like the proboscis monkeys. Forest-dwelling primates the world over continue to face tremendous pressures that threaten their existence, ranging from habitat destruction to poaching for bushmeat. We are committed to preserving such endangered primates, and will carry on with the breeding, conservation and research efforts to ensure that populations continue to thrive,” said Mr Biswajit Guha, Assistant Director, Zoology, Singapore Zoo.

About proboscis monkeys
A female was born to nine year old mom, Sakti, and dominant male Victo on November 3, 2008. This is the third birth for Sakti, that was also born at the Singapore Zoo, in 1999.

Singapore Zoo also welcomed a male proboscis baby on January 12, 2009, which was born to Suria and BJ, the breeding pair housed off-exhibit.

Proboscis monkeys are found in the mangrove and peat swamp forests of Borneo. Only males have the huge pendulous nose, which is believed to help them resonate their calls. The bigger the nose, the more attractive he is to the females. Thus, the dominant male always has the largest nose. In fact, the nose is so big that he has to push it aside while feeding.

The most endangered of the three primates, the proboscis monkey faces various threats, including hunting, habitat loss due to land reclamation, clearing for monoculture plantations and logging. The Singapore Zoo has the largest breeding group of proboscis monkeys outside its range countries.

About black howler monkeys
The baby black howler monkey was born to parents Gordon and Agra on January 20, 2009. Despite its name, only males are black while females and juveniles are brown. Young males attain their black pelage upon maturity.

The black howler monkey gets its name from the distinctive loud barking whoop it makes, which can be heard over considerable distances. This is the loudest animal in the New World and the largest monkey that lives in the South American rainforests.

Vocal communication forms an important part of their social behaviour and they have been heard as far as 3km away. Threats to howlers include hunting and deforestation. Currently there are three black howler monkeys at the Zoo.

About colobus monkeys
The female colobus monkey that arrived in December 2007 from Tama Zoo, Japan immediately took to our lone male and after a hiatus of almost 12 years, we welcomed our new colobus baby. The Zoo’s collection consists of this family of three.

The colobus monkey is the most arboreal of all African monkeys and rarely descends to the ground. It is distinguished by the dramatic white fringe around its shoulders. It is hunted excessively for its fur, leading to its extermination in parts of their range. Their pelts have been used to make dance costumes, hats and capes since early times.

With a total of 320 individuals from 40 species, Singapore Zoo has one of the world’s largest collections of primate species. The success of the captive breeding programme is testament to sound husbandry practices, expertise and dedication of zoologists and vets.

ABOUT SINGAPORE ZOO
Set in a rainforest environment, Singapore Zoo's world famous "Open Concept” offers the opportunity to experience and be inspired by the wonders of nature. Home to over 2,500 specimens from 315 species, 16% of which are threatened, the Zoo has attained a strong reputation internationally for its conservation initiatives and breeding programmes. To better meet the healthcare needs of its animals and working towards its aspiration to become a leading global centre of excellence for veterinary healthcare and research, a purpose-built Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre was set up in March 2006. In 2007, 1.5 million visitors enjoyed the experiential learning experience at the 28-hectare award-winning Zoo. Singapore Zoo is part of Wildlife Reserves Singapore. The Zoo is designated a wildlife rescue centre by the
governing authority.

Photo Credits:
Proboscis Monkey - Wildlife Reserves Singapore
Colobus Monkey and Howler Monkey - Mr Bjorn Olesen