14-year-old Rio Grande Zoo Howler Monkey Gives Birth to an Infant

By Terry Axline

Albuquerque, NM - January was an exciting month for the ABQ BioPark as Fifi, a 14-year-old howler monkey, gave birth to an infant on the 16th. The sex of the newborn is still unknown, but baby and mother are doing well and are on display from 9 AM to 5 PM daily near the pheasant exhibit at the Zoo, weather permitting.

Native to Central America, howler monkeys get their name from the loud calls they make each morning to announce their location to other groups. Newborn howlers will stay with their mother for about a year and either remain in the group or leave to find a new one once they reach maturity. Howlers are golden in color when they’re born. Adult males have black fur; adult females keep the golden color.

The BioPark is an accessible facility and a division of the City of Albuquerque’s Cultural Services Department. Contact the BioPark at 311 locally, (505) 768-2000 (Relay NM or 711). Find more information at http://www.cabq.gov/biopark.

Same day combo admission to the BioPark’s Zoo, Aquarium and Botanic Garden is $12 for adults; $5 for seniors 65 and older and for children 3-12. New Mexico BioPark Society membership confers FREE general admission to all BioPark facilities and discounts to many special events, including summer concerts. Find out more about becoming a BioPark Society member at nmbioparksociety.org.

The ABQ BioPark is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) every five years. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you and a better future for all living things. With more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information visit http://www.aza.org.

To view Rio Grande Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-94-Rio_Grande_Zoo